ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes respiratory distress in pigs, reproductive failure in breeding-age gilts and sows, and can have devastating economic consequences in domestic herds. Several PRRS vaccines are available commercially. This study compared the effectiveness of single-vaccination and revaccination schedules using the PRRS 94881 Type I modified live virus (MLV) vaccine ReproCyc® PRRS EU with no vaccination (challenge control) in protecting against a PRRS virus (PRRSV) challenge in non-pregnant gilts. RESULTS: Data were available from 48 gilts across three groups: a challenge control group (n = 16), which received no vaccination; a revaccination group (n = 16), which received ReproCyc® PRRS EU on Days 0 and 56; and a single vaccination group (n = 16), which received ReproCyc® PRRS EU on Day 56. All gilts were PRRSV RNA-negative (based on reverse transcription and quantitative polymerase chain reaction [RT-qPCR]) and PRRSV seronegative (based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) at Day 0. All gilts were challenged with PRRSV strain 190136 on Day 91.Viral RNA loads in both vaccination groups were significantly reduced compared with the challenge control group on Days 98 (P < 0.0001) and 101 (P < 0.0001), indicating that vaccinated gilts were better able to respond to challenge than unvaccinated gilts. At all timepoints following challenge, mean viral RNA load and the percentage of PRRSV RNA-positive gilts were numerically higher in the single-vaccination group than in the revaccination group; these differences were statistically significant on Day 101 (P = 0.0434). Furthermore, viremia levels after challenge were significantly lower in the revaccination group than in the single-vaccination group based on median area under the curve (AUC) values for viral RNA load from Day 91 to Day 112, suggesting that revaccinated gilts had better protection from viral infection than gilts who received a single vaccination. Protection from viremia did not correlate with the proportion of seropositive gilts on Day 91. In the single-vaccination group, 94% of pigs were seropositive on Day 91 compared with 56% in the revaccination group. Vaccination was well tolerated and no safety concerns were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Both single-vaccination and revaccination with ReproCyc® PRRS EU were effective in reducing PRRSV viremia post-challenge. These findings have important implications for herd management as both the single-vaccination and revaccination schedules protect against PRRSV challenge, with revaccination appearing to provide better protection from viremia than single vaccination.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: PRRS is a viral disease of pigs and sows that is one of the most costly to the pig industry worldwide. The disease can be controlled by focusing on different aspects. One of them is the vaccination of piglets, which is more controversial and difficult to manage than the vaccination of sows. However, pig producers could consider a piglet vaccination strategy if it reduces the negative clinical disease and improves zootechnical performance, decreases the probability to be infected and/or reduces the spread of the virus once the vaccinated piglet is infected. The efficacy of a novel PRRS modified live vaccine (Ingelvac PRRSFLEX® EU) was studied in a blinded, side-by-side placebo controlled field study of piglet vaccination including piglets weaned for three consecutive weeks (week groups 1, 2 and 3). RESULTS: This study established that PRRS piglet vaccination resulted in significantly better weight gain, seen as early as 4 weeks after vaccination, in naturally challenged pigs. Vaccine efficacy was supported by statistically significant increases in Average Daily Weight Gain (ADWG) among week group 3 vaccinated pigs from vaccination to the end of the study and statistically significant increases in bodyweight and ADWG from inclusion to 10 weeks of age in week group 2 vaccinated piglets. However, no differences were noted in week group 1 presumably because more than 30 % of the vaccinated pigs were viremic at the time of vaccination. Furthermore, the proportion of pigs showing any abnormal clinical sign at least once at any of the examination time points was lower in vaccinated pigs than in control pigs. Based on the viremia results (qPCR), early onset of PRRS was detected in this herd. Viremia occurred at the time of vaccination in week group 1 and shortly after vaccination in week groups 2 and 3. Peak wild type PRRSV infection was assumed at 4 weeks post vaccination in all groups based on the number of PRRS positive pigs in the control groups. CONCLUSION: This study establishes that vaccination of piglets with Ingelvac PRRSFLEX® EU at 4 weeks of age improves weight gain and reduces the appearance of clinical sings during the growing period, even when the piglets are infected shortly after vaccination.