The Cambridge Veterinary School became the first Institution to produce specific pathogen free pigs and a purpose-built contagious diseases unit was constructed for this work. These discoveries by Alexander, Goodwin and Whittlestone laid the scientific foundations for disease control in the modern pig industry. Ten years later work by Eliot identified streptococcus suis type 2 as causing severe meningitis in pigs and occasionally in man. The streptococcus suis research team were World-leaders in this field. The interest in this group of bacterial pathogens remains today and is focussed on molecular characterisation of virulence factors of Streptococci in animals.
Infections reactivate and the virus translocates via the peripheral nerves to a mucosal surface.
The familiar cold sore is the common example in man but pigs, cattle, dogs and horses suffer from their counterparts of the human herpes simplex virus all of which have been studied by the herpesvirus group at the veterinary school. Equine herpesvirus, respiratory disease and abortion Equine herpesvirus type 1 is transmitted by the respiratory tract leading to respiratory disease, but the infection is particularly feared as it can lead to abortion in the pregnant mare. Infection with one or more equine herpesviruses is so common that it is extremely difficult to carry out controlled experiments in the horse because of their uncertain infection history. To overcome this problem, infection models have been developed to study the pathogenesis of true primary infection by Field, Slater, Awan and Gibson. Vaccination strategies have been tested and at least one antiviral agent was shown to be an effective therapy in the horse.