1. Base Editing Silences Prion Protein and Extends Survival in Mice
Researchers from the Broad Institute used a precision genome-editing tool to switch off the production of the misfolded protein that causes prion disease.
Written by Rebecca Roberts, PhD
The Scientist
May 15, 2026
Prion diseases are a group of rare infectious neurodegenerative diseases caused by modifications in the prion protein (PrP) that prompt it to misfold.1 Invariably fatal, prion disease can be genetic, infectious, or sporadic with no known cause. Despite research efforts, there are currently no approved treatment options that can slow or stop disease progression.
At the 2026 annual meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, Jessie Davis, a chemical biologist in prion scientists Sonia Vallabh and Eric Minikel's group at the Broad Institute, described the development of base editing (BE) strategies to tackle prion disease. Published in Nature Medicine, this approach was able to halt the production of PrP in a mouse model by inserting an early stop codon into the defective prion protein (PRNP) gene.2
"This should be a helpful therapeutic for prion disease, regardless of etiology," Davis said during her talk at the "Advances in Cell and Gene Therapies for Chronic Infectious Diseases" session of the conference. "For genetic prion disease, there are benefits where we could potentially treat earlier, more prophylactically, but knockdown [of the PRNP gene] should be helpful for any form of prion disease."
Full text: https://www.the-scientist.com/base-editing-silences-prion-protein-and-extends-survival-in-mice-74490
2. EXCLUSIVE: USDA Rolls Out Livestock Insurance Program Enhancements as Producer Premiums Top $1.7 Billion
By Jesse Allen
American Ag Network
May 18, 2026
WASHINGTON D.C. - The USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) on Monday is announcing a sweeping package of updates to its three flagship livestock insurance products - Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) - beginning with the 2027 crop year. The changes, approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board, expand coverage, modernize eligibility definitions and bring greater consistency across RMA's livestock portfolio.
For USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce, the announcement lands at a pivotal moment for the cattle and dairy sectors.
"It comes at a really, really important time, the ramp up of the program," Fordyce said in an interview. "When we're seeing, you know, certainly, I think it's safe to say historic highs in feeder cattle, live cattle markets, the ability to protect that price - or to ensure that if the price goes down, you've got coverage - is so important. The value of a producer's herd or individual animal is so high that it really is important to protect that investment."
A Program That Has Exploded in Use
Livestock coverage under the federal crop insurance umbrella is a relatively new offering, but adoption has been staggering. Fordyce pointed to the program's roots in the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act and the rapid growth that followed.
"That first year in 2018, producers paid premiums of $13 million," Fordyce said. "In 2025, the producer premium paid was $1.7 billion. So it's a massive growth in risk management for livestock."
3. Asian longhorned tick spreads to more Arkansas counties [edited]
George "Clay" Mitchell
Fort Smith Southwest Times Record
May 18, 2026
Researchers with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture will host a free webinar later this month to discuss the growing spread of the Asian longhorned tick and a tick-borne cattle disease that has expanded across Arkansas, including several counties in the River Valley.
The webinar is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CDT on May 22 and will feature Kelly Loftin, extension entomologist, and Kirsten Midkiff, extension animal health and wellbeing specialist, both with the Division of Agriculture.
The webinar is free to attend, but registration is required. See: https://uada.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NXdR3DMwT4SkFz0NakwHEg #/registration
In the River Valley, Franklin County has confirmed cases of the Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype, Johnson County has confirmed cases of the Chitose genotype, and Logan County has confirmed cases of both the Ikeda and Chitose genotypes.
4. A Better Shot Against Foot and Mouth Disease
No needles required
By Kim Krieger
UCONN Today
May 18, 2026
Sticking needles into arms-or rather, haunches-is often the hardest part of distributing an effective agricultural vaccine. Now, University of Connecticut researchers show in the April 15 issue of Advanced Healthcare Materials* that a patch can deliver a safe, temperature-stabilized vaccine against foot and mouth disease, no needles required.
[*See: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adhm.202504342 ]
Foot and mouth disease is an economically devastating viral infection of cattle, sheep, and goats that kills young animals and weakens older ones. Even a small US outbreak could shut down meat and livestock exports. A large one could require culling of 30% of the national livestock, with economic damages as high as $228 billion, according to a 2013 analysis published in the Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense.
An effective vaccine against foot and mouth disease exists, but has significant disadvantages. It's made with an adenovirus that carries it into the animal's body. Adenovirus vaccines need to be kept cold, so they require refrigerated distribution. It's possible to stabilize the vaccine in a gel, but then the gel must be carefully dosed and dissolved before being injected into the animal, which is cumbersome for farmers and adds contamination risks. And the injections themselves degrade the quality of the animal's meat, leading to lower prices when it is sold.
UConn biomedical engineer Thanh Nguyen and Parbeen Singh, a postdoc in the Nguyen lab, worked with colleagues at the US Department of Agriculture's National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas to develop a foot and mouth microneedle patch vaccine. Nguyen's lab had already developed a drug-delivery patch that uses tiny needles to make channels through the outer layer of the skin.
Full text: https://today.uconn.edu/2026/05/a-better-shot-against-foot-and-mouth-disease/
5. Online hub to track New World Screwworm threat [NM]
New Mexico officials unveiled a new website that offers guidance on identifying, reporting and preventing New World Screwworm infestations
By Micheal Bolger
KOAT.com
May 19.2026
New Mexico introduced a new online resource aimed at helping residents stay informed about the growing concern surrounding New World Screwworm. This dangerous parasitic pest is capable of causing severe harm to animals and, in rare instances, humans.
The newly launched website, ScrewwormNM.org, serves as a centralized platform where ranchers, pet owners, veterinarians, and the public can access information about identifying infestations, treatment options, and reporting procedures.
State agriculture, wildlife, livestock, and health agencies collaborated to create the site as part of ongoing preparedness and response efforts.
Full text: https://www.koat.com/article/new-world-screwworm-online-hub-tracking-reporting/71347975
6. WOAH launches PREVENT Forum, a new public-private dialogue mechanism to unlock the full potential of animal disease prevention, with a strong focus on vaccination
WOAH Press Release
May 19, 2026
Paris - The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) today launched the PREVENT Forum, a new five-year public-private platform designed to strengthen animal disease prevention, primarily through improved vaccination strategies. By bringing together governments, industry and partners, the Forum will focus on improving access to quality vaccines and supporting their more strategic use in animal health systems.
The launch is taking place during WOAH's 93rd World Assembly of Delegates. It follows the publication of its global flagship report The State of the World's Animal Health
, which makes a strong investment case for better-resourced animal health systems to protect human health, food security, trade and livelihoods. The PREVENT Forum is a concrete response to that call, advancing prevention through structured public-private dialogue with a strong focus on vaccination.
Threats to animal health continue to grow worldwide. Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), bluetongue and Newcastle disease have highlighted the significant economic and societal costs of acting too late. Animal diseases are estimated to cost the global economy more than USD 300 billion every year, yet vaccination rates for most notifiable animal diseases remain well below 20%. Against this backdrop, governments, international organisations and industry stakeholders are increasingly recognising prevention as a strategic investment in global health security, food security and economic resilience.
Vaccination is one of the most effective tools available to prevent and control animal diseases, alongside strengthened biosecurity, surveillance, early detection and rapid response. Expanding access to quality vaccines and improving vaccine uptake can help reduce the risk of outbreaks, protect livelihoods, support food security and contribute to efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.