All Outputs (16)

Galacto-oligosaccharides fed during gestation increase Rotavirus A specific antibodies in sow colostrum, modulate the microbiome, and reduce infectivity in neonatal piglets in a commercial farm setting (2023)
Journal Article
Lee, A., Liang, L., Connerton, P. L., Connerton, I. F., & Mellits, K. H. (2023). Galacto-oligosaccharides fed during gestation increase Rotavirus A specific antibodies in sow colostrum, modulate the microbiome, and reduce infectivity in neonatal piglets in a commercial farm setting. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10, Article 1118302. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1118302

Introduction: Rotavirus A is a major cause of acute dehydrating diarrhea in neonatal pigs resulting in significant mortality, morbidity, reduced performance and economic loss. Commercially available prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides are similar to t... Read More about Galacto-oligosaccharides fed during gestation increase Rotavirus A specific antibodies in sow colostrum, modulate the microbiome, and reduce infectivity in neonatal piglets in a commercial farm setting.

Gut transcriptome reveals differential gene expression and enriched pathways linked to immune activation in response to weaning in pigs (2022)
Journal Article
Le Bon, M., Tötemeyer, S., Emes, R. D., & Mellits, K. H. (2022). Gut transcriptome reveals differential gene expression and enriched pathways linked to immune activation in response to weaning in pigs. Frontiers in Genetics, 13, Article 961474. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.961474

Weaning represents one of the most critical periods in pig production associated with increase in disease risk, reduction in performance and economic loss. Physiological changes faced by piglets during the weaning period have been well characterised,... Read More about Gut transcriptome reveals differential gene expression and enriched pathways linked to immune activation in response to weaning in pigs.

Common colonic community indicators of the suckling pig microbiota where diversity and abundance correlate with performance (2022)
Journal Article
Lee, A., Le Bon, M., Connerton, I. F., & Mellits, K. H. (2022). Common colonic community indicators of the suckling pig microbiota where diversity and abundance correlate with performance. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 98(5), Article fiac048. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiac048

The primary objective of this study was to investigate if common colonic community indicators could be identified from the microbiota of 22-day-old suckling pigs in repeated small-scale trials. A total of three separate trials were conducted at diffe... Read More about Common colonic community indicators of the suckling pig microbiota where diversity and abundance correlate with performance.

Carriage of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae on common insect vectors (2022)
Journal Article
Blunt, R., Mellits, K., Corona-Barrera, E., Pradal-Roa, P., & McOrist, S. (2022). Carriage of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae on common insect vectors. Veterinary Microbiology, 269, Article 109417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2022.109417

The interactions of likely insect and murine vectors of the causative agent of swine dysentery, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, were investigated. Insects were collected and analysed from 3 pig farms positive for B hyodysenteriae. Within these farms, sev... Read More about Carriage of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae on common insect vectors.

Emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants: comparative replication dynamics and high sensitivity to thapsigargin (2021)
Journal Article
Al-Beltagi, S., Goulding, L. V., Chang, D. K., Mellits, K. H., Hayes, C. J., Gershkovich, P., …Chang, K. (2021). Emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants: comparative replication dynamics and high sensitivity to thapsigargin. Virulence, 12(1), 2946-2956. https://doi.org/10.1080/21505594.2021.2006960

The struggle to control the COVID-19 pandemic is made challenging by the emergence of virulent SARS-CoV-2 variants. To gain insight into their replication dynamics, emergent Alpha (A), Beta (B) and Delta (D) SARS-CoV-2 variants were assessed for thei... Read More about Emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants: comparative replication dynamics and high sensitivity to thapsigargin.

Thapsigargin Is a Broad-Spectrum Inhibitor of Major Human Respiratory Viruses: Coronavirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza A Virus (2021)
Journal Article
Al-Beltagi, S., Preda, C. A., Goulding, L. V., James, J., Pu, J., Skinner, P., …Chang, K. (2021). Thapsigargin Is a Broad-Spectrum Inhibitor of Major Human Respiratory Viruses: Coronavirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza A Virus. Viruses, 13(2), Article 234. https://doi.org/10.3390/v13020234

The long-term control strategy of SARS-CoV-2 and other major respiratory viruses needs to in-clude antivirals to treat acute infections, in addition to the judicious use of effective vaccines. Whilst COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out for mass va... Read More about Thapsigargin Is a Broad-Spectrum Inhibitor of Major Human Respiratory Viruses: Coronavirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza A Virus.

An Optimized Reverse Genetics System Suitable for Efficient Recovery of Simian, Human, and Murine-Like Rotaviruses (2020)
Journal Article
Sánchez-Tacuba, L., Feng, N., Meade, N. J., Mellits, K. H., Jaïs, P. H., Yasukawa, L. L., …Greenberg, H. B. (2020). An Optimized Reverse Genetics System Suitable for Efficient Recovery of Simian, Human, and Murine-Like Rotaviruses. Journal of Virology, 94(18), Article e01294. https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.01294-20

Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. An entirely plasmid-based reverse genetics (RG) system was recently developed for rotavirus (RV), opening new avenues for in-depth molecular dissection of RV biology, immunology, and pathogenesis. S... Read More about An Optimized Reverse Genetics System Suitable for Efficient Recovery of Simian, Human, and Murine-Like Rotaviruses.

Viabilité et quantification d’une levure probiotique dans le système digestif du porc (2016)
Journal Article
Le Bon, M., Bravo de Laguna, F., Chevaux, E., & Mellits, K. H. (in press). Viabilité et quantification d’une levure probiotique dans le système digestif du porc. Journees de la Recherche Porcine en France, 48,

Viability and colonisation of a probiotic yeast in the digestive tract of piglets Probiotics have been defined as « live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host» (WHO, 2001). This definition i... Read More about Viabilité et quantification d’une levure probiotique dans le système digestif du porc.

Early apoptosis of porcine alveolar macrophages limits avian influenza virus replication and proinflammatory dysregulation (2015)
Journal Article
Chang, P., Kuchipudi, S. V., Mellits, K., Sebastian, S., James, J., Liu, J., …Chang, K. (2015). Early apoptosis of porcine alveolar macrophages limits avian influenza virus replication and proinflammatory dysregulation. Scientific Reports, 5(17999), https://doi.org/10.1038/srep17999

Pigs are evidently more resistant to avian than swine influenza A viruses, mediated in part through frontline epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages (AM). Although porcine AM (PAM) are crucial in influenza virus control, their mode of control is u... Read More about Early apoptosis of porcine alveolar macrophages limits avian influenza virus replication and proinflammatory dysregulation.

Efficiency of disinfectants against Rotavirus in the presence and absence of organic matter (2015)
Journal Article
Chandler-Bostock, R., & Mellits, K. (in press). Efficiency of disinfectants against Rotavirus in the presence and absence of organic matter. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 61(6), https://doi.org/10.1111/lam.12502

Rotavirus is an enteric pathogen that causes morbidity and mortality in young mammals, including pigs. Outbreaks of rotavirus on commercial farms have a significant economic impact in terms of losses in production. Effective cleaning and disinfection... Read More about Efficiency of disinfectants against Rotavirus in the presence and absence of organic matter.

Diversity of group A rotavirus on a UK pig farm (2015)
Journal Article
Chandler-Bostock, R., Hancox, L., Payne, H., Iturriza-Gomara, M., Daly, J. M., & Mellits, K. (2015). Diversity of group A rotavirus on a UK pig farm. Veterinary Microbiology, 180(3-4), 205-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.09.009

Group A rotaviruses (GARV) are a significant cause of enteritis in young pigs. The aim of this study was to extend our understanding of the molecular epidemiology of porcine GARV in the UK by investigating the genetic diversity of GARV on a conventio... Read More about Diversity of group A rotavirus on a UK pig farm.

Effect of a single dose of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii on the occurrence of porcine neonatal diarrhoea (2015)
Journal Article
Hancox, L., Le Bon, M., Richards, P., Guillou, D., Dodd, C. E., & Mellits, K. (in press). Effect of a single dose of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii on the occurrence of porcine neonatal diarrhoea. animal, 9(11), https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114002687

Piglet neonatal diarrhoea is an important issue in modern pig production and is linked to increased mortality and poor growth rates, affecting long-term pig health, increasing use of medication and cost of production. Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. bo... Read More about Effect of a single dose of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii on the occurrence of porcine neonatal diarrhoea.

Assessment of caecal parameters in layer hens fed on diets containing wheat distillers dried grains with solubles (2015)
Journal Article
White, G. A., Richards, P. J., Wu, S., Mellits, K. H., & Wiseman, J. (2015). Assessment of caecal parameters in layer hens fed on diets containing wheat distillers dried grains with solubles. British Poultry Science, 56(4), 494-502. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071668.2015.1064859

There is much interest in quantifying the nutritional value of UK wheat distillers dried grains with solubles (W-DDGS) for livestock species. A study was designed to evaluate caecal parameters (pH, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bacterial divers... Read More about Assessment of caecal parameters in layer hens fed on diets containing wheat distillers dried grains with solubles.

Corrigendum to “Genetic diversity of porcine group A rotavirus strains in the UK” [Vet. Microbiol. 173 (2014) 27–37] (2014)
Journal Article
Chandler-Bostock, R., Hancox, L., Nawaz, S., Watts, O., Iturriza-Gomara, M., & Mellits, K. (2014). Corrigendum to “Genetic diversity of porcine group A rotavirus strains in the UK” [Vet. Microbiol. 173 (2014) 27–37]. Veterinary Microbiology, 174(3-4), 609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.10.003

Genetic diversity of porcine group A rotavirus strains in the UK (2014)
Journal Article
Chandler-Bostock, R., Hancox, L. R., Nawaz, S., Watts, O., Iturriza-Gomara, M., & Mellits, K. M. (2014). Genetic diversity of porcine group A rotavirus strains in the UK. Veterinary Microbiology, 173(1-2), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.06.030

Rotavirus is endemic in pig farms where it causes a loss in production. This study is the first to characterise porcine rotavirus circulating in UK pigs. Samples from diarrheic pigs with rotavirus enteritis obtained between 2010 and 2012 were genotyp... Read More about Genetic diversity of porcine group A rotavirus strains in the UK.

Inclusion of detergent in a cleaning regime and effect on microbial load in livestock housing (2013)
Journal Article
Hancox, L., Le Bon, M., Dodd, C. E., & Mellits, K. (2013). Inclusion of detergent in a cleaning regime and effect on microbial load in livestock housing. Veterinary Record, 173(7), https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.101392

Determining effective cleaning and disinfection regimes of livestock housing is vital to improving the health of resident animals and reducing zoonotic disease. A cleaning regime consisting of scraping, soaking with or without detergent (treatment an... Read More about Inclusion of detergent in a cleaning regime and effect on microbial load in livestock housing.