Six proposals are being funded by the Swine Health Information Center and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research to enhance U.S. prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response capabilities for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
From a total of 26 proposals from 23 different institutions, six were selected to receive a total of $1.3 million after a highly competitive review process conducted by swine industry stakeholders and subject matter experts.
“As a transboundary disease risk for U.S. introduction, JEV is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitos and can cause reproductive failure, abortions, and stillbirths or weak piglets in swine breeding herds,” SHIC reports. “Recent expansion of JEV into new geographic regions of Australia warrants close investigation to prevent a potential JEV incursion into the U.S.”
The funded projects include:
Transmission and Epidemiology
1. Epidemiology of JEV in Australian intensive piggeries
Principal Investigator: Brendan Cowled, Ausvet Pty Ltd
Objectives: 1) Understand the transmission and epidemiology of JEV within farms through a literature review and data analysis of affected farm parameters for model development; 2) Understand and validate the farm-level risk factors for JEV in the Australian outbreak through a qualitative study of expert veterinarians.
Competent Vectors
2. Vector competence and JEV pathogenesis and immunity in domestic pigs
Principal Investigator: Angela Bosco-Lauth, Colorado State University
Objectives: 1) Evaluate vector competence of JEV in the primary West Nile virus mosquito vectors in the US; 2) Determine susceptibility and pathogenesis of JEV in domestic swine; 3) Assess protective efficacy of WNV vaccination and JEV vaccination against JEV infection in domestic swine; 4) Evaluate cross-neutralization of porcine antibodies against JEV, WNV, and St. Louis encephalitis virus.
Role of Wildlife
3. Understanding the threat of wild pigs and mosquitoes for JEV transmission to domestic swine farms
Principal Investigator: Daniel Peach, University of Georgia
Objectives: 1) Establish whether wild pigs increase the habitat available to JEV vectors by identifying the mosquito species that breed in wild pig wallows; 2) Determine the extent of access and which mosquito species commonly try to enter sow and wean-to-finish farms; 3) Assess exposure of domestic swine herds to mosquito-borne pathogens associated with wild pigs.
Diagnostics
4. Building diagnostic capability for Japanese encephalitis virus in the United States
Principal Investigator: Katharine Bossart, Integrated Research Associates, LLC
Objectives: 1) Assess assay performance using recombinant and inactivated viral antigens from multiple JEV genotypes to build serologic diagnostic capabilities; 2) Create a prototype JEV IgM ELISA kit with all reagents and instructions and create a prototype JEV IgM dot enzyme immunoassay; 3) Develop secondary JEV IgM ELISAs and dot enzyme immunoassays using JEV nonstructural proteins.
Challenge Models
5. Development of a pregnant sow model to study the pathogenesis of the emergent Japanese encephalitis virus genotype IV
Principal Investigator: Juergen Richt, Kansas State University
Objectives: 1) Develop robust and harmonized in vivo and in vitro methods for comparative analysis of infected pregnant sows across two study centers; 2) Conduct JEV infection trials at three gestational timepoints at each site; 3) Determine the pathobiological features of in utero infection and compare across the two study centers.
Vaccine Development
6. Translation of the highly safe, pure and potent IMOJEV® live, attenuated chimeric vaccine against JE in humans for prevention of JEV infection and disease in swine
Principal Investigator: Thomas Monath; Substipharm Biologics SA
Objectives: 1) Demonstrate safety and immunogenicity of IMOJEV in swine; 2) Demonstrate efficacy of IMOJEV in protecting pigs from challenge with JEV; 3) Determine minimum effective dose for immunization with IMOJEV; 4) Provide quality assurance and quality control; 5) Develop a product development plan to meet product licensing requirements.
The projects will take approximately nine to 24 months to complete and research results will be shared as soon as they become available, SHIC reports.
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