Infectious Diseases
The Infectious Diseases team has a broad expertise covering veterinary science, bacteriology, virology, immunology and molecular biology which is employed in a number of projects which aim to control infectious diseases of domestic livestock as well as using an immunological approach to reduce methane emissions from ruminants. A major research focus is control of mycobacterial diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and Johne’s disease.
The team is based in three locations around the country.
The group at the National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease - Wallaceville serve as the reference centre for diagnosis of these diseases utilising bacterial culture, immunological testing and molecular strain typing. In addition, the group uses molecular biological methods to address questions relating to the molecular epidemiology of food and environmental pathogens.
The researchers at the Hopkirk Research Institute are involved in the development of vaccines and diagnostic tests for the control of infectious diseases including bovine tuberculosis, bovine mastitis and ovine pneumonia as well as development of a vaccine to reduce methane emissions from ruminants. This group’s expertise extends to screening compounds for immunomodulatory and anti-viral properties.
The third group in the team is located at Invermay Research Centre and has a focus on control of infectious and parasitic diseases of deer.