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Three small black pigs in Bangladesh. They are on dry ground with small huts around them and some dry trees behind

New study brings vaccine hopes for deadly Nipah virus

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have taken a major step forward in tackling one of the world’s most dangerous viruses, the Nipah virus, by evaluating vaccine candidates for pigs. The Nipah virus is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Originating in Old World fruit…

Young scientist shining a light on an egg in a green tray in a dark room.

CRISPR chicken cell study boosts potential for vaccine development

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have created gene-edited chicken cells that produce significantly higher yields of influenza A virus and Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Poultry vaccines are the mainstay of disease prevention in the global poultry production industry, worth an estimated $420…

Latest news

Bluetongue virus (BTV) cores

05 February 2020

Pirbright determines bluetongue strain and origin in 2016 Cyprus outbreak

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have used genetic analysis and wind modelling to show that the 2016 bluetongue outbreak in Cyprus was caused by bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8). The virus most likely crossed over to Cyprus in midges blown from the coastal regions of Syria, Lebanon or Israel…

23 December 2019

Rinderpest destruction, what happens next?

In June 2019 The Pirbright Institute destroyed the last samples of rinderpest virus held in the World Reference Laboratory for rinderpest. This completed a major milestone in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) programme to…

Goats being herded by Maasai

05 September 2019

New peste des petits ruminants field test developed by Pirbright scientists

A new method for detecting peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) in the field has been developed by scientists at The Pirbright Institute. The novel diagnostic test is as reliable as laboratory tests, provides rapid results and is easy to use in the field. These features will help improve…

Pirbright destroys final rinderpest virus samples

On 14 June 2019, scientists at The Pirbright Institute destroyed the final archive stocks of rinderpest virus held in the World Reference Laboratory for Rinderpest. This completed a major milestone in the World Organisation for Animal Health ( OIE) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United…

26 February 2019

Pirbright scientists show re-emerged bluetongue strain still poses a threat

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have shown that the strain of bluetongue virus (BTV) currently circulating in France poses a threat to susceptible animals in Europe, despite causing less clinical disease than the original BTV-8 strain responsible for the first UK bluetongue outbreak in 2007…

01 October 2018

Pirbright reference lab detects bluetongue in two imported cattle

Bluetongue virus type 8 was successfully identified in two imported cattle recently by the National Reference Laboratory for Bluetongue virus, part of the Non-Vesicular Disease Reference Laboratory Group’s diagnostic facilities here at Pirbright, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The…

Marwell Energy for Life exhibit by Pirbright

Pirbright and Marwell Zoo show how climate change could increase disease risk in the UK

The good health of animals is Marwell Zoo’s highest priority, but how can Marwell protect its residents against exotic diseases? Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have helped to create an exhibit in the Zoo’s new Tropical House to explain how climate change may increase the risk of diseases…

pig lying in hay pirbright

Pirbright scientists help combat African swine fever - a disease with no vaccine

African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread throughout eastern and central Europe, and China has now recorded its first outbreak. China is home to over half the world’s pig population (around 500 million pigs) so any potential spread throughout China and neighbouring countries would be devastating…

Cows in a field at Pirbright Compton site

02 February 2018

Pirbright helps demonstrate the UK remains free from bluetongue virus

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have played a key role in providing assurance that the UK remains free from bluetongue following the positive test results of four cattle which had moved from France into the north of England and Scotland in October 2017 without sufficient vaccination proof. BTV…

Maintaining global freedom from rinderpest

The 3rd International Meeting on ‘Maintaining Global Freedom from Rinderpest’ was held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 14-16 June 2017. The meeting brought together a global audience, including a group of scientists from The Pirbright Institute, who discussed plans for controlling the risk of rinderpest re…

Pirbright scientists train Tanzanian centre to gain OIE status

Scientists from The Pirbright Institute are paving the way for a regional OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) reference laboratory in Tanzania by training local scientists to further advance their diagnostic capability of Peste des petit ruminants virus (PPRV) in the field and laboratory. Dr…