A new vaccine candidate against Mycoplasma hyorhinis, a major bacterial pathogen in pigs

Researchers from the research group used chemical mutagenesis to create a heat-sensitive, live, attenuated vaccine candidate from a clinical isolate. The essence of the procedure is that the bacterium still proliferates well at lower temperatures, but its ability to proliferate at normal pig body temperature decreases drastically, making its use safe. According to experimental results, vaccinated piglets exhibited significantly milder clinical symptoms and joint lesions following infection. Vaccinated animals exhibited a faster and stronger immune response, and lower levels of bacterial DNA were measured in their bodies. The results represent a scientific breakthrough in defense against the pathogen.

The thirty-four mutations identified during whole-genome sequencing could provide a stable genetic basis for a future, widely available vaccine. In the next phase of the research, the institute’s experts will investigate long-term safety and efficacy under farm conditions. The study was published in the prestigious journal Vaccine as open access (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.128278), and the development is already under patent protection (P2500036).

The research was carried out with funding from the NKFIH (RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00001) and the MTA Momentum Program (LP2022-6/2022).