Rare Natural Recombinant Porcine virus found in China

A rare strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus that has been naturally recombined has been discovered by Chinese researchers, according to the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. This study can provide an important reference for the prevention and control of swine disease, and the relevant research results have been published in the famous international journal Journal of Virology.

According to an Tongqing, associate researcher of Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus is characterized by reproductive disorders and respiratory symptoms in pregnant sows and has a high fatality rate. The virus is easy to mutate, which hinders the research of epidemiology and prevention and control. In 2006, there was a large-scale outbreak of highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome in China, which caused huge losses to the pig industry.

The Animal pathogen Surveillance and Molecular Epidemiology Innovation team of Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences spent nearly 10 years and carried out a large number of surveillance studies. It was found that the imported North American strains were naturally recombined with the local epidemic strains. It was confirmed by further study that the strain was naturally recombined by an imported branch strain of North America with the highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus prevalent in China, thus causing the disease of infected pigs. This situation is rare in the epidemiology of infectious diseases.

According to Cai Xuehui, chief scientist of the innovative team, the results of this study provide scientific and clinical guidance for carrying out epidemiological surveillance of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and formulating effective vaccine prevention and control strategies to prevent and curb the further epidemic and spread of imported North American strains and their recombinant strains.