Broadly protective vaccines for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and swine influenza virus infections

生猪生产是东南亚地区增长最快的畜牧业，生猪生产的集约化导致疾病增加，包括呼吸道疾病，这是全球养猪业经济损失的主要原因。两种病毒，猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒和猪流感病毒，是猪呼吸道疾病的主要贡献者。预防这两种病毒的感染将显著改善泰国猪的福利，并将呼吸道疾病造成的经济损失降至最低。为此，我们将与泰国科学家合作，测试针对这两种病毒的创新疫苗，以预防感染和疾病。由于这两种病毒都有许多毒株，因此需要根据泰国流行的病毒毒株量身定制疫苗。我们的泰国合作伙伴利用他们对这些毒株的详细了解和先进的分子生物学方法，制造出最有可能抵御当地病毒多样性的候选疫苗。候选疫苗将在英国进行测试，以确定它们是否能激发强大的免疫反应。泰国科学家将来到英国学习这些免疫学方法。这些能激发最强免疫反应的候选疫苗将在泰国进行测试，看看它们是否能在实验室条件下和野外保护猪只免受病毒感染。我们希望了解这两种病毒为何会使猪只容易患上严重的呼吸道疾病。为了研究这个问题，猪只将分别或同时感染每种病毒，并详细分析每种病毒的免疫反应，以了解免疫反应如何改变，导致疾病恶化。该项目将广泛发展-泰国将向泰国科学家转让免疫学和疫苗学方面的专门知识，以促进实施猪繁殖疫苗计划。以及泰国的呼吸道综合征和猪流感病毒。然后，这些技术可以适用于其他病原体和牲畜物种。

Pig production is the fastest growing livestock sector across Southeast Asia and intensification of pig production has led to an increase in diseases, including respiratory diseases, which are a major cause of economic losses in the pig industry worldwide. Two viruses, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and swine influenza virus, are major contributors to respiratory disease in pigs. Prevention of infection with the two viruses would significantly improve the welfare of pigs in Thailand and minimise economic losses due to respiratory disease. To do this, we will collaborate with Thai scientists to test innovative new vaccines against these two viruses, which will prevent infection and disease. Because there are many strains of both viruses, the vaccines need to be tailored to the virus strains that circulate in Thailand. Our Thai partners have used their detailed knowledge of these strains and sophisticated molecular biology methods to make vaccine candidates that have the best chance of protecting against the diversity of local viruses.The candidate vaccines will be tested in the UK to determine whether they stimulate a powerful immune response. Thai scientists will come to the UK to learn these immunological methods. The candidate vaccines that stimulate the most powerful immune response will then be tested in Thailand to see if they can protect pigs against infection with the viruses both under laboratory conditions and in the field.We wish to understand why these two viruses predispose pigs to severe respiratory disease. To study this question, pigs will be infected with each virus separately or together and the immune responses to each virus will be analysed in detail to learn how the immune response is altered leading to exacerbated disease.The project will develop broadly-protective vaccines tailored to Thai virus strains and will transfer expertise in immunology and vaccinology to Thai scientists to facilitate the implementation of vaccine programmes for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and swine influenza viruses in Thailand. These technologies can then be adapted to other pathogens and livestock species.