IResPig : Immune response in the context of co-infections with respiratory pathogens in pigs

This project aims to better understand what happens at the molecular level during respiratory viral co-infections in order to propose recommendations for the health management of pig farms, and to better combat these infections. More practically, the project also aims to study the interactions between live attenuated vaccines. Can we speak of synergy, antagonism, additive effects, where two attenuated pathogens could together lead to a serious infection?

To do this, two experimental approaches are being implemented :

• single or double infection delayed or no epithelial cells from the porcine trachea expressing or not the receptor for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (CD163),
• single or double infection of alveolar macrophages or thin slices of lung.

This call for projects contributes in particular to the establishment of an immuno-virology laboratory in Oniris and the acquisition of new high-performance equipment (Krumdieck tissue slicer, qPCR).