Researchers in Brookings, South Dakota, have made a significant breakthrough in the development of vaccine candidates to combat a fast-spreading poultry virus that has caused millions of dollars in losses for farmers across the Upper Midwest.

Avian Metapneumovirus Vaccine Candidates

The breakthrough comes roughly two years after South Dakota State University scientists were the first to identify two highly contagious strains of avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) that surfaced in U.S. poultry flocks in early 2024. Researchers have now created two types of vaccine candidates aimed at protecting chickens and turkeys from one of the virus strains. Additional testing is planned to determine how well the vaccines perform against the second strain.

Original reporting: The Dakota Scout (Sioux Falls) — read the source article.