The Federal Center for Animal Health of the Rosselkhoznadzor (FGBI ARRIAH) has created an inactivated emultion vaccine against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), the Rosselkhoznadzor press service said in a statement.
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The development of a new vaccine was initiated at the request of one of the largest Russian meat companies based on a strain revealed at the company’s premises. The new drug has already undergone preclinical tests.
“According to the research studies, the vaccine proved to be as effective as foreign-made alternatives in stabilizing the safety and productivity of the immunized animalsâ€, says the statement.
The next step in large-scale clinical trials is scheduled for the live dried cell culture-based vaccine against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome based on the most relevant strain, PRRSV-1 (European type).
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is one of the most economically important diseases of pig industry.
PRRS is caused by Betaarterivirus suid 1 and 2 viruses, namely PRRS virus (PRRSV) 1 and 2.
Losses caused by PRRS result from reproductive disorders, such as abortions and stillbirths, but also from an increased proportion of weak-born piglets and increased mortality in new-borns.
Besides, PRRSV is one major component of the porcine respiratory disease complex, and the presence of PRRSV circulating in the nurseries commonly leads to increased mortality when combined with other bacterial or viral agents.
In Western Europe, subtype 1 (PRRSV-1.1) is predominant. This genetic diversity also translates to a variable virulence. In general, PRRSV-1 was considered less virulent than PRRSV-2, a notion reinforced by the emergence of an extremely virulent strain in China some years ago.
However, the discovery of strains like Lena in Belarus (PRRSV-1.3), or PR40 (PRRSV-1.1) in Italy, demonstrated the existence of highly virulent PRRSV-1 strains.
Starting in 2020, severe PRRSV outbreaks characterized by high abortion rates and increased mortality rates in weaners, were increasingly reported in North-eastern Spain.
The disease cost about U$ 664 million annually to the American industry, of which weaners and growers accounted for 55% of the total cost. ■