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Embrapa and the National Centers for Animal Health (NCAH), associated with the U.S. Agricultural Research Service (ARS), have just formalized a cooperation agreement for the development of research studies that will contribute to the diagnosis and control of influenza A in pigs and the production of effective vaccines. Although the disease is considered endemic in pigs in many countries, the occurrence and emergence of new viral variants make control and diagnosis difficult.
Embrapa Suínos e Aves (Concórdia, SC) has been leading projects in this area since 2005 and the collaboration with ARS represents the opportunity to quantify the genetic and antigenic evolution of the viruses circulating in pigs in Brazil and their relationship with the human influenza viruses, in order to assess the risk of interspecies transmission and to develop rational vaccination approaches in pigs.
Rejane Schaefer, researcher at Embrapa and project leader emphasized the importance of studying the mutations that occur in viruses isolated from pigs in order to study virus evolution and identify the viruses with the potential to cause influenza pandemics in humans.
The reagents generated by the NCAH (panel of sera produced against influenza viruses of human and swine origin) for the performance of cross-activity testing between influenza viruses isolated from pigs in Brazil will be shared between the two institutions to complete the antigenic map.
October 7, 2020/ Embrapa/ Brazil.
embraba.br/suinos-e-aves
