Diseases of the gut
Diseases that affect the gut are known as enteric or gastrointestinal diseases and can be caused by a wide range of pathogens.
Control of significant gastrointestinal diseases was an early goal for Moredun when it was founded in the 1920s. Highly important at that time were Braxy and Lamb Dysentery caused by different Clostridium species. This early phase in Moredun’s history saw the development of the first vaccines against clostridial diseases. These vaccines remain widely available today.
Several bacteria still cause significant enteric problems in livestock species. Currently, Moredun's research is targeting Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, taking a broad range of approaches to better understand and characterise these organisms and lead to improved surveillance, diagnosis and control.