Isolation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus from feed ingredients and complete feed, with subsequent RT-qPCR analysis

We used virus isolation (VI) to determine tissue culture infectivity and reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to determine the stability of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 2 (PRRSV) strain P129 in solvent-extracted soybean meal (SBM), dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), complete swine feed (FEED), or medium (DMEM) at 4°C, 23°C, or 37°C for up to 3 d. Samples of each treatment were taken at regular intervals and processed. Supernatant was titrated and used to inoculate confluent MARC-145 cells to determine infectivity. RNA was extracted from each supernatant sample and tested by RT-qPCR to determine any change in detectable virus RNA across matrix type, temperature, and time. An interaction (p = 0.028) was observed for matrix × temperature × hour for live virus detected by VI. At 4°C, the concentration of infectious virus was greatest in DMEM, intermediate in SBM, and lowest in DDGS and FEED. DMEM also had the greatest concentration of infectious PRRSV at 23°C over time; a higher infectious virus concentration was maintained in SBM for longer than in DDGS or FEED. At 37°C, a greater concentration of infectious virus was sustained in DMEM than in the feedstuffs, with concentrations decreasing until 48 h post-inoculation. Only matrix type influenced the quantity of viral RNA detected by RT-qPCR (p = 0.032). More viral RNA was detected in the virus control than in DDGS; SBM and FEED were intermediate. By VI, we found that infectious virus could be harbored in SBM, DDGS, and FEED for a short time.

Pathogenicity of Porcine Circovirus Type 2d (PCV2d) in Pigs Infected with PCV2d or Co-infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and PCV2d or with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus and PCV2d

The objective of this study was to determine the pathogenicity of porcine circovirus type 2d (PCV2d) in pigs inoculated intranasally with PCV2d alone, PCV2d in combination with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae or PCV2d in combination with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Pigs infected with PCV2d alone were asymptomatic. All pigs inoculated with either M. hyopneumoniae and PCV2d or with PCV2d and PRRSV developed porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD), as characterized by a sudden onset of clinical signs and disseminated granulomatous inflammation. Inflammation was mainly present in lymph nodes and spleen, and occasionally in liver and kidney. Pigs in both of these dually infected groups also had significantly higher (P <0.05) microscopic lymphoid lesion scores and a significantly higher (P <0.05) number of PCV2-positive cells in lymph node tissue than did pigs inoculated with PCV2d alone. The M. hyopneumoniae and PRRSV combination potentiated the PCV2d load in the blood. Co-infection with PRRSV and PCV2d resulted in a significantly higher blood load of PCV2d compared with the M. hyopneumoniae and PCV2d combination. Successful reproduction of PCVAD in pigs appears to require PCV2d with at least one additional infectious agent, such as M. hyopneumoniae or PRRSV, for the full manifestation of disease.

Genomic characterization and pathogenic study of two porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses with different virulence in Fujian, China

Two strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were isolated in 2006 and 2016 and designated as FZ06A and FZ16A, respectively. Inoculation experiments showed that FZ06A caused 100% morbidity and 60% mortality, while FZ16A caused 100% morbidity without death. By using genomic sequence and phylogenetic analyses, close relationships between a Chinese highly pathogenic PRRSV strain and the FZ06A and FZ16A strains were observed. Based on the achieved results, multiple genomic variations in Nsp2, a unique N-glycosylation site (N³³→K³³), and a K151 amino acid (AA) substitution for virulence in the GP5 of FZ16A were detected; except the 30 AA deletion in the Nsp2-coding region. Inoculation experiments were conducted and weaker virulence of FZ16A than FZ06A was observed. Based on our results, a 30 AA deletion in the Nsp2-coding region is an unreliable genomic indicator of a high virulence PRRSV strain. The Nsp2 and GP5 differences, in addition to the virulence difference between these two highly pathogenic PRRSV strains, have the potential to be used to establish a basis for further study of PRRSV virulence determinants and to provide data useful in the development of vaccines against this economically devastating disease.