{"id":5845,"date":"2022-01-18T09:09:48","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T15:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pharmgate.com\/usa\/?p=5845"},"modified":"2026-02-10T13:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T19:48:10","slug":"dealing-with-todays-prrs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pharmgate.com\/usa\/news\/dealing-with-todays-prrs\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing with today\u2019s PRRS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jeff OKones, DVM, Pharmgate Animal Health<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. pork industry has worked long and hard against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), and everything we have learned will help as the battle continues in coming months and years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First described in the late 1980\u2019s as Blue Ear or Mystery Pig Disease, PRRS has become a perennial and expensive challenge, costing the industry an estimated $6641<\/sup> million annually. PRRS continues to lurk in epidemic and endemic forms and has been described as the most economically significant disease to affect U.S. pork production since the eradication of classical swine fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOver the 25 years we’ve fought PRRS, we have seen a continuous evolution of increasing virulence in significant isolates,\u201d says Michael Roof, Chief Technology Officer Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics Research and Innovation Platform at Iowa State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Swine Health Information Center in Ames, Iowa, has been tracking a new, highly pathogenic variant, PRRSv 1-4-4. It became a predominant strain in 2021 and is expected to remain important heading into the prime season for the virus in 2022. This Lineage 1C virus is especially virulent and has caused a lot of problems in the Midwest and upper Midwest.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, its virulence isn\u2019t the most important aspect of PRRSv 1-4-4, says Roof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe current 1-4-4 situation isn’t a debate about whether it is or isn’t more virulent than others,\u201d says Roof. \u201cThe fact of the matter is, it’s the predominant isolate in the field, it’s significant and it seems to cause problems even in highly vaccinated or stabilized herds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, PRRSv isolates 1-7-4 and 1-8-4 also remain on the radar and cannot be overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While PRRS is complex, difficult to control, and has no single or universal control strategy, three tools remain available to help mitigate its impact:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Biosecurity:<\/strong> Ensure biosecurity protocols are up to par. As the virus evolves, evaluate procedures and update as needed, ensuring all members of your team are aware of any changes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Diagnostics: <\/strong>Use diagnostic tools to determine the source of health challenges. Many facilities routinely monitor oral or tissue fluids. Add PRRSv monitoring, if possible, to see whether herd prevalence trends up or down. Also keep an eye on animal performance, weight gain, feed consumption and treatment cost \u2013 all of which are direct and indirect indicators of overall health. PRRS has a major influence on these performance factors, which means they can be additional indicators of this health challenge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Vaccine options<\/strong>. A robust vaccine and pig health protocol can reduce the incidence and severity of clinical PRRS.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Each farm is different. To optimize your vaccine protocol, consider the following factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n