Pigss

Identification of novel virulence factors of Streptococcus suis:

Use of precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) and air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures as in vitro models to reduce experimental animal infection

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research supports large-scale testing corona patients in the Netherlands

Samples to test corona patients for the COVID-19 virus are sent to the Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) laboratory as of Monday 30 March. This constitutes a significant increase in the testing capacity in the Netherlands.

Covid-19 can put the human teams on our farms at risk.

Covid-19 can put the human teams on our farms at risk. A very interesting review was published by Van Doremalen et al on coronavirus persistence on different materials and in aerosols can help us implement measures on swine farms to reduce the human risk of infection.

Data presented from the PIGSs project at the Jornadas de porcino in Barcelona

Dr Virginia Aragon from IRTA-CReSA shared with porcine veterinarians an update of the studies on tonsil microbiota and the role in Streptococcus suis disease.

PIGSs researchers at the Cambridge Science Festival

PIGSs researchers at the Cambridge Science Festival reveal latest insights in Streptococcus suis.

Dedicated PIGSs meeting on: Identification of new or uncharacterised mutants.

To allign ongoing research activities in the PIGSs project on virulence (work package 2), and identify new or uncharacterised mutants, an ad hoc meeting was organized today (11 February 2020) by Prof. Peter Valentin-Weigand at Wageningen University and Research.

Course Gut Health in Pigs (The influence of nutrition and immunology) organized by the Wageningen Academy

Maintaining or promoting intestinal health is of crucial importance for optimal production efficiency, overall health and promoting the welfare of production animals such as pigs and poultry. Are you wondering what factors affect gut health? This course was organized by Wageningen Academy on 3 February 2020.

Primary porcine respiratory epithelial cell models used in the PIGSs project to study host–pathobiont interactions in the respiratory tract: ALI culture.

There is a growing need for physiologically relevant models of the respiratory epithelium, but recreating these complex functions in vitro is a considerable challenge. In the PIGSs project, Air-Liquid-Interface (ALI) cultures from primary porcine tracheal and bronchial epithelial cells are developed as in vitro culture tools that closely mimics the in vivo situation in pigs.

Primary porcine respiratory epithelial cell models used in the PIGSs project to study host–pathobiont interactions in the respiratory tract: PCLS model.

The PIGSs project aims to improve our current understanding of the interplay of commensals, pathobionts, and keystone pathogens in the respiratory tract. Studies to dissect these complex processes should be carried out in respective animal models, e.g., in pigs, or under conditions which most closely mimic in vivo conditions.

Characterization of virulence genes in Streptococcus suis using CRISPRi and organoid models

Streptococcus suis is a bacterial pathogen which is a major cause of mortality and economic losses in the pig farming industry. Moreover, it is also a zoonotic pathogen causing human infections worldwide. Almost 100% of pig farms worldwide have carrier animals, but the factors leading to invasive disease are not well understood. Genetic variation within S. suis complicate the development of effective control strategies so that to date, no efficacious, cross-protective vaccines exist for S. suis. The overall aim of this research project is to unravel the host-pathogen interactions that take place during the infection process and thereby aid the development of effective vaccines, anti-virulence strategies and diagnostic tools to combat S. suis infections.