Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 10th October 2022
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Four scientists receive European PRRS Award 2022
“The European PRRS Research Award brings science and veterinary practice together" - Markus Hammer, Boehringer Ingelheim.
Boehringer Ingelheim supports research with a total of 75,000 EUR.

Scientists from across four European countries have been honoured by Boehringer Ingelheim for their practical work to improve pig health.

Diedrich Hendrickx of the Netherlands and Merel Postma from Belgium join Emil Lagumdzic from Austria and Arnaud Lebret of France in receiving the European PRRS Award 2022. 

Now in its ninth year, the award encourages research into novel methods of tackling Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and developing new practical strategies for its control.

Markus Hammer, global head of swine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “The European PRRS Research Award brings science and veterinary practice together and promotes work that makes a difference for swine practitioners and their animals. We are pleased that the PRRS Award is so well received, and we are glad to support the promotion of excellent scientific work that has high value for practice."

PRRS affects growing piglets and adult pigs and leads to reproductive failure in breeding stock and respiratory tract illness. The virus also imposes a significant financial burden on swine producers across the globe: In the European Union alone, the total cost to the industry is estimated at 1.5 billion EUR annually. 

To encourage new PRRS control methods, Boehringer Ingelheim awards three outstanding research proposals 75,000 EUR in total every year.

This year, the independent jury awarded Diedrich Hendrickx and Merel Postma for developing an ADKAR change management model to wean piglets free of PRRS wild-type virus and understand the farmer's objection towards a PRRS-free future. The aim of this project is to coach the farm on how to set up and follow an individual PRRS control plan.

Jury members awarded Emil Lagumdzic for the gene expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD8+ T cells from gilts after PRRSV infection. Scientists hope that an improved understanding of the role of immune responses can enable the targeted development of efficacious vaccines.

Finally, Arnaud Lebret received the award for a descriptive study on PRRSV detection by qPCR in blood samples collected in positive stable herds following mass vaccination of sows with an MLV vaccine. 

Boehringer Ingelheim states: 'Objectifying the frequency of detection of vaccine strains would help practitioners in their choice when implementing vaccinal strategies against PRRSV.'

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."