A recombination between two Type 1 Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV-1) vaccine strains has caused severe outbreaks in Danish pigs

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is prevalent in Danish swine herds. In July 2019, PRRSV-1 was detected in a PRRSV-negative boar station and subsequently spread to more than 38 herds that had received semen from the boar station. Full genome sequencing revealed a sequence of 15.098 nucleotides. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the strain was a recombination between the Amervac strain (Unistrain PRRS vaccine; Hipra) and the 96V198 strain (Suvaxyn PRRS; Zoetis AH). The major parent was the 96V198 strain that spanned ORFs 1-2 and part of ORF 3 and the minor parent was the Amervac strain, which constituted the remaining part of the genome. The virus seems to be highly transmissible and has caused severe disease in infected herds despite a high level of genetic identity to the attenuated parent strains. The source of infection was presumable a neighbouring farm situated 5.8 km from the boar station.