Newcastle disease research marks 100 years in UK
Experts from six countries met at the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Weybridge to review a century of work on the poultry virus, last seen in the UK in 2006.
Scientists from six countries have gathered in the UK to mark 100 years of research into Newcastle disease, a highly infectious virus that affects poultry.
The event on 17 September was held at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in Weybridge and hosted by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Reference Centre for Newcastle Disease, the agency said.
The centenary meeting gave delegates a chance to review how understanding of the disease has evolved since it was first identified, and to discuss research aimed at protecting poultry populations.
The disease was first identified in 1926 by TM Doyle, a veterinarian from the agency, who was investigating a new disease in chickens on a farm near Newcastle upon Tyne.
APHA said it remained a major challenge for the global poultry sector, causing economic losses and affecting food security, trade and livelihoods in many countries.
The last outbreak in the UK was in 2006.
Speakers included Professor Ian Brown of the Pirbright Institute, whose research career in the field began at APHA more than 30 years ago, and specialists from the US Department of Agriculture, the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Lahore, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute in Germany and the EU Reference Laboratory in Italy.
Delegates heard how cooperation between national laboratories, research institutes and international organisations had helped improve the understanding and management of the disease over the past century.
Presentations covered current research on detecting the virus, monitoring how it evolves and responding rapidly to outbreaks, as well as the challenges posed by emerging virus variants and changing patterns of disease spread.
The event underlined APHA’s long-standing contribution to global animal health and its role as an internationally recognised centre of expertise for avian diseases.
It was held in a hybrid format, with proceedings broadcast live to registered delegates around the world so that animal health professionals could take part remotely.
The agency said “ongoing vigilance, research and international cooperation remain essential” to reduce the impact of the disease.
