Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Porcine reproductive and respiratory disease (PRRS) is an economically important disease around the globe; it has been estimated to cost the swine industry in USA approximately 560 million US dollars annually. It is well established that PRRS is caused by an enveloped, single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus known as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The inability to successfully control PRRS across farms via traditional methods (e.g. vaccine and animal flow) has led to a growing interest in area-based eradication. Important to such an initiative is information on PRRSV transmission within and between herds and intervention strategies to prevent its spread. This paper will review the current literature on selected areas of PRRS known to be important to the topic of pathogen elimination, including etiology, clinical manifestations, direct and indirect routes of transmission, as well as discuss measures for disease control, prevention and eradication.     

三带喙库蚊体内猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒的分离与鉴定

【目的】调查猪场蚊虫是否能携带猪繁殖与呼吸综合征(PRRS)病毒。【方法】采集发生PRRS疫情的3个养猪场蚊虫样本,采用RT-PCR方法检测PRRS病毒核酸,取阳性蚊虫样本接种Marc-145细胞进行病毒的分离培养,以间接免疫荧光抗体技术和分子克隆技术进行病毒的鉴定。【结果】 养猪场内的蚊虫主要有三带喙库蚊Culex tritaeniorhychus、凶小库蚊Culex modestus、中华按蚊Anopheles sinensis和骚扰阿蚊Armigeres obturbans,其中三带喙库蚊占86.76%;以PRRS病毒N基因引物进行扩增,三带喙库蚊样本呈现阳性反应,而其他蚊种均为阴性。在蚊虫接种的Marc-145细胞中可见细胞融合和空泡形成等细胞病变效应;用抗PRRS病毒N蛋白抗体和羊抗猪IgG(H+L)-FITC进行间接免疫荧光染色,感染细胞呈现黄绿色荧光;以NSP2基因引物进行RT-PCR扩增、克隆与测序,发现库蚊源病毒与相应猪场猪源病毒中相应基因的序列具有较高同源性。【结论】 三带喙库蚊为猪舍优势蚊种,并能携带猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒。     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus induces autophagy to promote virus replication

An increasing number of studies demonstrate that autophagy, an intrinsic mechanism that can degrade cytoplasmic components, is involved in the infection processes of a variety of pathogens. It can be hijacked by various viruses to facilitate their replication. In this study, we found that PRRSV infection significantly increases the number of double- or single-membrane vesicles in the cytoplasm of host cells in ultrastructural analysis. Our results showed the LC3-I was converted into LC3-II after virus infection, suggesting the autophagy machinery was activated. We further used pharmacological agents and shRNAs to confirm that autophagy promoted the replication of PRRSV in host cells. Confocal microscopy analysis showed that PRRSV inhibited the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes, suggesting that PRRSV induced incomplete autophagy. This suppression caused the accumulation of autophagosomes which may serve as replication site to enhance PRRSV replication. It has been shown that NSP2 and NSP3 of arterivirus are two components of virus replication complex. We also found in our studies that NSP2 colocalized with LC3 in MARC-145 cells by performing confocal microscopy analysis and continuous density gradient centrifugation. Our studies presented here indicated that autophagy was activated during PRRSV infection and enhanced PRRSV replication in host cells by preventing autophagosome and lysosome fusion.     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection in the boar: a review

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is caused by PRRS virus, which, like other members of the Arterividae family, has the ability to infect macrophages and to persist in tissues for at least several months after the acute stage of infection subsides. As a consequence, PRRS has a complex epidemiologic profile and has been especially difficult to control under the usual conditions of commercial swine production. Although vaccines are commonly used, vaccination is only one of several approaches to be considered in designing a control strategy. At least equally important are procedures developed on the basis of a thorough understanding of the epidemiology of the disease. The objective of this review is to summarize current knowledge in relation to PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection in the boar. The information available related to this topic will be summarized and discussed, and the implications for the control of the condition highlighted. The main emphasis will be on questions about the pathogenesis of infection, including duration of viremia and the origin of PRRSV found in semen; the clinical signs associated with the disease, paying special attention to the effects on seminal quality; the epidemiology of the condition, with special emphasis on the duration of PRRSV shedding in semen and the implications that this may have on venereal transmission, as well as the role that other potential routes of shedding may have on the dissemination of PRRSV.     

猪圆环病毒2型及猪繁殖与呼吸综合症病毒的快速检测

呼吸道疾病是猪场最常见的疾病之一,严重影响猪群的健康,已经给世界养猪业造成了巨大的经济损失[1,2].呼吸道疾病的病原复杂多变,不同的猪场病因可能完全不同,从而给疾病的诊断与防治带来了很大的困难.多年的研究表明,呼吸道疾病的病因可能包括猪繁殖与呼吸综合症病毒(Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, PRRSV)、猪流感病毒、猪肺炎支原体(Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae,MH)、伪狂犬病病毒、猪圆环病毒2型(Porcine circovirus, PCV2)及猪链球菌或沙门氏菌等[3～8].其中PRRSV与PCV2为近几年新发现的猪重要的传染性病原,且呈不断的蔓延趋势,在呼吸道疾病发生过程中所起的作用日益增强[9,10].     

猪圆环病毒2型及猪繁殖与呼吸综合症病毒的快速检测

According to the published genome sequences of Porcine circovirus type 2(PCV2)and Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV),primers were designed and PCR,RT-PCR were set up for the detection of PCV2 and PRRSV,respectively,With the established methods,38 clinical samples from the respiratory disease pigs were detected for the presence of PCV2 and PRRSV. The results demonstrated that 22 samples were positive for PCV2,27 samples were positive for PRRSV and among the above positive samples,18 samples were positive for both viruses,The data obtained in the present study indicated that PCV2 and PRRSV maybe play an important role in the course of the development of respiratiory diseases.     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus in wild boar and Iberian pigs in south-central Spain

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a swine infectious disease causing major economic problems on the intensive pig industry. This virus has been reported worldwide in domestic pigs and there is evidence of PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection in wild boar (Sus scrofa). Nonetheless, the epidemiological role of wild boar and extensively kept domestic pigs remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of PRRS in wild boar and Iberian pigs in the dehesa ecosystem of the Castile-La Mancha region of Spain, which boasts one of the most important free-roaming porcine livestock and hunting industries in the country. Using geo-spatial analysis of literature data, we first explored the relationship between domestic pig density and PRRS occurrence in wild boar in Europe. Results revealed that PRRS occurrence in wild boar may be influenced, albeit not significantly, by domestic pig density. Next, we analyzed sera from 294 wild boar and 80 Iberian pigs by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for PRRSV antibodies. The sera and 27 wild boar tissue samples were analyzed by two real-time RT-PCR assays, targeting the most conserved genes of the PRRSV genome, ORF1 and ORF7. Seven wild boar (2.4 %) and one Iberian pig (1.3 %) were seropositive, while none of the animals tested positive for PRRSV by RT-PCR. Our results confirm the limited spread of PRRSV in free-roaming Iberian pigs and wild boar living in mutual contact. Further studies would be necessary to address whether this low seroprevalence found in these animals reflects transmission from intensively kept pigs or the independent circulation of specific strains in free-roaming pigs.     

Association of two porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) receptor genes,CD163 and SN with immune traits

CD163 and sialoadhesin (SN) were reported as two essential receptors for the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. To investigate the relationship between these two genes and porcine immunity, we assigned porcine CD163 and SN respectively to SSC5q21-q24 and SSC17q23 by IMpRH. Expression profiles revealed that CD163 and SN were ubiquitously expressed in ten tissues, and were expressed highly in lymph gland, spleen and liver, which implied the potential functions of CD163 and SN in immunity. Moreover, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) c.3534C>T was found in 3′-UTR of the CD163 gene and association analysis showed that this gene was significantly associated with the IgG content in blood (P < 0.05). A novel missense mutation c.878A>G located in exon4 of the SN gene which caused the amino acid transition from histidine to arginine was detected, and it was significantly associated with the WBC count in the peripheral blood (P < 0.05). These results provided fundamental evidence for CD163 and SN as two functional candidate genes affecting immunity in pigs.     

Identifying putative candidate genes and pathways involved in immune responses to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection

Differences in gene expression were compared between RNAs from lungs of high (HR) and low (LR) porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) burden pigs using the swine protein-annotated long oligonucleotide microarray, the Pigoligoarray. Pathway analyses were carried out to determine biological processes, pathways and networks that differ between the LR and HR responses. Differences existed between HR and LR pigs for 16 signalling pathways [P < 0.01/-log (P-value) >1.96]. Top canonical pathways included acute phase response signalling, crosstalk between dendritic cells and natural killer cells and tight junction signalling, with numerous immune response genes that were upregulated (SOCS1, SOD2, RBP4, HLA-B, HLA-G, PPP2R1A and TAP1) or downregulated (IL18, TF, C4BPA, C1QA, C1QB and TYROBP). One mechanism, regulation of complement activation, may have been blocked in HR (PRRSV-susceptible) pigs and could account for the poor clearance of PRRSV by infected macrophages. Multiple inhibiting signals may have prevented effective immune responses in susceptible HR pigs, although some protective genes were upregulated in these pigs. It is likely that in HR pigs, expression of genes associated with protection was delayed, so that the immune response was not stimulated early; thus, PRRSV infection prevented protective immune responses.     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus: description of persistence in individual pigs upon experimental infection

We studied the persistence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in individual experimentally infected pigs, during a period of up to 150 days postinfection (dpi). The results of this study suggest that the persistence of PRRSV involves continuous viral replication but that it is not a true steady-state persistent infection. The virus eventually clears the body and seems to do it in most of the animals by 150 dpi or shortly thereafter. High genetic stability was seen for several regions of the persistent PRRSV's genome, although some consistent mutations in the genes of envelope glycoproteins and M protein were also observed.     

The polymorphism analysis of CD169 and CD163 related with the risk of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) could infect porcine alveolar macrophages (PAM), and the CD169 and CD163 are identified as critical receptors on the surface of PAM, but whether the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of these genes could influence the infection is remain unclear. In this study, we identified totally 6 SNPs for CD169 (G1640T, C1654A, C4175T) and CD163 (G2277A, A2552G and C2700A), and evaluated their associations with PRRSV infection using two classified methods in a 524 pig population to investigate the effects of mutations on the PRRSV receptors. The pigs with genotypes of AA of CD169-C1654A, CT of CD169-C4175T and AA of CD163-A2552G appeared to resistant to the PRRSV infection by the combination of two classified results. The results provided fundamental molecular investigation to promote pig breeding with disease resistance. However, the identification of functional changes induced by SNPs and molecular mechanism were need further research.     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus impacts on gut microbiome in a strain virulence-dependent fashion

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a viral disease defined by reproductive problems, respiratory distress and a negative impact on growth rate and general condition. Virulent PRRS virus (PRRSV) strains have emerged in the last years with evident knowledge gaps in their impact on the host immune response. Thus, the present study examines the impact of acute PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection, with two strains of different virulence, on selected immune parameters and on the gut microbiota composition of infected pigs using 16S rRNA compositional sequencing. Pigs were infected with a low virulent (PRRS_3249) or a virulent (Lena) PRRSV-1 strain and euthanized at 1, 3, 6, 8 or 13 days post-inoculation (dpi). Faeces were collected from each animal at the necropsy time-point. Alpha and beta diversity analyses demonstrated that infection, particularly with the Lena strain, impacted the microbiome composition from 6 dpi onwards. Taxonomic differences revealed that infected pigs had higher abundance of Treponema and Methanobrevibacter (FDR < 0.05). Differences were more considerable for Lena- than for PRRS_3249-infected pigs, showing the impact of strain virulence in the intestinal changes. Lena-infected pigs had reduced abundancies of anaerobic commensals such as Roseburia, Anaerostipes, Butyricicoccus and Prevotella (P < 0.05). The depletion of these desirable commensals was significantly correlated to infection severity measured by viraemia, clinical signs, lung lesions and immune parameters (IL-6, IFN-γ and Hp serum levels). Altogether, the results from this study demonstrate the indirect impact of PRRSV infection on gut microbiome composition in a strain virulence-dependent fashion and its association with selected immune markers.     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and porcine circovirus type 2 infections in wild boar (Sus scrofa) in southwestern Germany

Samples were collected from 203 wild boars (Sus scrofa) hunted in Baden-Wurtemburg, Germany from November-January 2008 and 2009. Samples from the lung and tonsil were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) type 1 (European type) and type 2 (American type). A qPCR to detect porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2)-specific genome was performed on tissue homogenates including lung, tonsils, and inguinal lymph nodes. Serum samples were tested for antibodies against PRRSV and PCV2 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). No PRRSV was detected in any of the 203 samples and one sample had detectable antibodies against PRRSV. We detected PCV2 in organ materials from 103 wild boars with a prevalence of 50.7%. The number of wild boars positive for PCV2 by PCR varied according to the population density of wild boars among woodlands. More positive samples were detected in woodlands with a high density of wild boars. We found no correlation between the number of PCV2-positive wild boars and the density of domestic pigs in the surrounding area. The number of wild boars positive for antibodies against PCV2 by the INGEZIM Circovirus IgG/IgM test kit was low (53 sera positive for IgG- and three sera positive for IgM-antibodies) in comparison to the higher positive results from the INGEZIM CIRCO IgG test kit (102 positive and 12 inconclusive results).     

Semen changes in boars after experimental infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus

Eleven boars seronegative to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were trained for semen collection: five boars were inoculated intranasally with 6 x 10(6)TCID(50)/ml of PRRSV (Group A); four boars were inoculated intranasally with 6 x 10(4)TCID(50)/ml (Group B); and two boars were used as uninfected control (Group C). Semen samples were collected at 7-d intervals from 49 d prior to experimental inoculation with PRRSV to 70 d after inoculation, and were examined for sperm volume, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, sperm motility and for the presence of PRRSV. The infection in boars was demonstrated by the reisolation of PRRSV from the serum of all inoculated boars. Rectal temperatures and general health of the boars were clinically normal throughout the trial. Differences were observed in the quality of semen collected from boars after experimental infection with PRRSV. This infection induced a significant decrease in sperm motility and in spermatozoa with normal acrosomes. Of the semen samples tested for virus isolation in swine alveolar macrophages PRRSV was only isolated in 1 boar from Group B. The virus was detected in an additional semen sample in Group A by the production of an antibody titer in a biological assay. All attempts to detect PRRSV by RT-PCR in semen samples were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, from our study it is possible to suggest that the PRRSV can occasionally be transmitted in the semen during the initial phase of the disease.     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection spreads by cell-to-cell transfer in cultured MARC-145 cells, is dependent on an intact cytoskeleton, and is suppressed by drug-targeting of cell permissiveness to virus infection

Background

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the etiologic agent of PRRS, causing widespread chronic infections which are largely uncontrolled by currently available vaccines or other antiviral measures. Cultured monkey kidney (MARC-145) cells provide an important tool for the study of PRRSV replication. For the present study, flow cytometric and fluorescence antibody (FA) analyses of PRRSV infection of cultured MARC-145 cells were carried out in experiments designed to clarify viral dynamics and the mechanism of viral spread. The roles of viral permissiveness and the cytoskeleton in PRRSV infection and transmission were examined in conjunction with antiviral and cytotoxic drugs.

Results

Flow cytometric and FA analyses of PRRSV antigen expression revealed distinct primary and secondary phases of MARC-145 cell infection. PRRSV antigen was randomly expressed in a few percent of cells during the primary phase of infection (up to about 20–22 h p.i.), but the logarithmic infection phase (days 2–3 p.i.), was characterized by secondary spread to clusters of infected cells. The formation of secondary clusters of PRRSV-infected cells preceded the development of CPE in MARC-145 cells, and both primary and secondary PRRSV infection were inhibited by colchicine and cytochalasin D, demonstrating a critical role of the cytoskeleton in viral permissiveness as well as cell-to-cell transmission from a subpopulation of cells permissive for free virus to secondary targets. Cellular expression of actin also appeared to correlate with PRRSV resistance, suggesting a second role of the actin cytoskeleton as a potential barrier to cell-to-cell transmission. PRRSV infection and cell-to-cell transmission were efficiently suppressed by interferon-γ (IFN-γ), as well as the more-potent experimental antiviral agent AK-2.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate two distinct mechanisms of PRRSV infection: primary infection of a relatively small subpopulation of innately PRRSV-permissive cells, and secondary cell-to-cell transmission to contiguous cells which appear non-permissive to free virus. The results also indicate that an intact cytoskeleton is critical for PRRSV infection, and that viral permissiveness is a highly efficient drug target to control PRRSV infection. The data from this experimental system have important implications for the mechanisms of PRRSV persistence and pathology, as well as for a better understanding of arterivirus regulation.     

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒核衣壳蛋白基因的克隆与原核表达研究

采用RT—PCR方法自猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒基因组分离出核衣壳蛋白基因(ofr7),克隆到pMDl8—T载体构建成重组质粒pMDl8N并进行测序比较,结果表明,所克隆的核衣壳蛋白基因序列与PRRSV美洲型ATCCVR—2332株的同源性为100％,表明ofr7是PRRSV基因组内很保守的序列;将ofr7亚克隆到原核表达载体pGEX—KG,构建成重组质粒pGEX—KGN,用pGEX—KGN转化表达菌株BL21,经SDS—PAGE和Western-blot分析表明：克隆在谷胱苷肽转移酶(Glutathione S-transferase(GST)下游的核衣壳蛋白基因与GST获得了高效融合表达,表达的融合蛋白GST—N分子量约为41kDa,并且有免疫学反应活性;这为猪繁殖与呼吸综合征的血清学诊断方法的建立打下了基础。     

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒核衣壳蛋白基因的克隆与原核表达研究

采用RT-PCR方法自猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒基因组分离出核衣壳蛋白基因(orf 7),克隆到pMD18-T载体构建成重组质粒pMD18N并进行测序比较,结果表明,所克隆的核衣壳蛋白基因序列与PRRSV美洲型ATCC VR-2332株的同源性为100%,表明orf 7 是PRRSV基因组内很保守的序列;将orf 7亚克隆到原核表达载体pGEX-KG,构建成重组质粒pGEX-KGN,用pGEX-KGN转化表达菌株BL21,经SDS-PAGE和 Western-blot分析表明克隆在谷胱苷肽转移酶(Glutathione S-transferase(GST)下游的核衣壳蛋白基因与GST获得了高效融合表达,表达的融合蛋白GST-N分子量约为41kDa,并且有免疫学反应活性;这为猪繁殖与呼吸综合征的血清学诊断方法的建立打下了基础.     

Overview: Replication of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), an arterivirus that causes significant losses in the pig industry, is one of the most important animal pathogens of global significance. Since the discovery of the virus, significant progress has been made in understanding its epidemiology and transmission, but no adequate control measures are yet available to eliminate infection with this pathogen. The genome replication of PRRSV is required to reproduce, within a few hours of infection, the millions of progeny virions that establish, disseminate, and maintain infection. Replication of the viral RNA genome is a multistep process involving a replication complex that is formed not only from components of viral and cellular origin but also from the viral genomic RNA template; this replication complex is embedded within particular virus-induced membrane vesicles. PRRSV RNA replication is directed by at least 14 replicase proteins that have both common enzymatic activities, including viral RNA polymerase, and also unusual and poorly understood RNA-processing functions. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of PRRSV replication, which is important for developing a successful strategy for the prevention and control of this pathogen.