Newport Labs

As producers continue to reduce the amount of antibiotics given to their herds, many are looking to other options to fight Streptococcus suis, more commonly known as Strep suis. 

The pathogen is one of the primary causes of bacterial meningitis in pigs,¹ and can cause illness at any stage of production, with associated mortality rates of up to 20 percent.² With infections often existing subclinically and nearly 100 percent of pigs serving as carriers of the bacteria,³Strep suis is a key concern for many producers. 

DULUTH, Ga. — [June 12, 2018]

Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) is excited to announce that Newport Laboratories, Inc. in Worthington, Minnesota, is officially part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s animal health business unit.

Newport Laboratories enhances the service and product offerings for BI customers. By providing cutting-edge diagnostics like whole genome sequencing, metagenomics, and bioinformatics, Newport Laboratories crafts custom, autogenous vaccines that target the specific viruses or bacteria causing disease in individual livestock operations.

Newport Laboratories, Inc. has developed a new multilocus sequence typing (MLST) technique for Mycoplasma bovis, a significant cause of disease in cattle. The new technology represents a major advancement over the previous diagnostic process and will provide increased resolution and a better assessment of genetic variation that may be associated with antigenic, or strain differences. 

This technological advancement utilizing molecular biology is yet another development to come from Newport Laboratories, Inc., a leader in cutting edge diagnostic technology and the manufacturer of autogenous, or custom-made vaccines.  The new MLST technique evaluates 10 variable genes associated with specific Mycoplasma bovis virulence factors, including several of the variable surface proteins (VSPs).