Dr Segalés (CReSA) will investigate the negative impact of PCV2 on the immune system and the possibility to prevent this effect by vaccination. This project will be funded by the European Porcine Circovirus Research Award conceded by Boehringer Ingelheim.

Diseases associated with PCV2 infection (PCVD) belong to the most devastating diseases in swine worldwide. Fortunately, since a few years, losses attributed to this disease complex can be controlled very effectively by vaccinating piglets. Still, PCV2 remains a major threat for pig production, and further research is needed on PCV2 immunology and the interaction with other potential pathogens.

The European Porcine Circovirus (PCV2) Research Award is an annual award that recognizes research proposals in the area of applied immunological PCV2 research. A maximum of three prizes, 25,000 Euro each, are granted to European researchers who convince the independent jury with their outline of innovative research approaches in the field of swine immunology to explore PCVD.  With the award Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health aims to promote further scientific progress to better understand and ultimately control this devastating swine disease.

The European PCV2 Award has an independent review board with leading European scientists in applied porcine research reviewing the entries and deciding upon the winning proposals. The panel is chaired by Professor emeritus Maurice Pensaert from the Laboratory of Veterinary Virology at the University of Ghent in Belgium.

This year two projects were selected by the independent review board for funding:

1. Effects of PCV2 vaccination upon basic parameters of the immune response of pigs in a PCV2 subclinical infection model. Interaction with Aujeszky’s disease vaccination (Prof. Joaquim Segalés, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and CReSA, Spain). This research project investigates the negative impact of PCV2 on the immune system and the possibility to prevent this effect by vaccination.
2. Investigation of PCV2 free herds (Dr. Charlotte Sonne Kristensen, Danish Agriculture and Food Council-Pig Research Centre, Denmark). Dr. Kristensen will evaluate factors that might have an influence on the PCV2 status of a swine herd.

Prizes were recently presented to the award winners by Prof. Maurice Pensaert, former head of the Laboratory of Virology of the Ghent University, and Dr. Joachim Hasenmaier, Head of Corporate Division Animal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim, during a ceremony at the global headquarters of Boehringer Ingelheim in Ingelheim, Germany.

From the left to the right: Dr. Charlotte Sonne Kristensen, Dr. Joachim Hasenmaier, Prof. Joaquim Segalés and Prof. Maurice Pensaert

To contact with Prof. Segalés:

Joaquim Segalés Coma
Investigator (CReSA)
Email: joaquim.segales@cresa.uab.cat
Telephone no.: +34 93 581 45 63
Fax: +34 93 581 44 90
Edifici CReSA. Campus UAB
08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona) Spain