The Pirbright Institute - Preventing and controlling viral diseases

Helen Watts appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer Khushi Kabra Mon 10/08/2026 - 11:34

Pirbright ramps up testing as bluetongue returns Khushi Kabra Mon 10/08/2026 - 09:20

The Gordon Memorial Lecture: A paradigm shift in high pathogenicity avian influenza and perspectives for the future Since 2020, H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b have spread rapidly to all continents except Oceania. This panzootic presents an unprecedented threat to global poultry health, with severe uncertainties as to when it will peak o...

Stability of influenza viruses in the milk of cows and sheep

In late 2023, H5N1 high-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) started circulating in dairy cattle in the USA. High viral titres were detected in milk from infected cows, raising concerns about onward human infections. Although pasteurisation was shown to effectively inactivate influenza viruses in milk, unp...

A G57 (BJ/94-like) H9N2 avian influenza virus exhibits enhanced replication and tissue dissemination in chickens compared with a G1-B virus Graphical abstract

Analysis of H9N2 lineages shows G57 virus replicates, spreads and transmits more efficiently than G1‑B, driven by their gene constellations, enhanced neuraminidase activity, sulphated avian receptor binding and acid‑s...