Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV)

Dear Colleagues,

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains a major cause of significant economic loss in the global swine industry. PRRSV is responsible for reproductive failure in breeding animals and respiratory diseases in nursery, weaning, and growing-finishing pigs characterized by reduced growth performance and increased mortality rate, mostly in neonatal pigs. The virus is also considered to be one of the most important pathogens causing the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), which is associated with huge economic losses in the global pig industry.

The high impact of PRRSV on the swine industry has stimulated the development of vaccines to control the disease in both growing and breeding animals. The most common PRRSV vaccines are categorized into modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines and inactivated (KV) vaccines. Both MLV and KV vaccines are currently commercially available for use in breeding pigs in several countries worldwide. At present, commercial vaccines are available but cannot protect pigs from infection by heterogenous strains. In addition, they have serious side effects. Therefore, vaccination is highly controversial. The pathogenesis of the PRRS remains unclear, and further research is needed for therapeutics.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather a collection of review or original research articles on PRRSV. Specifically, submissions that include but are not limited to the following are welcome:

1. Efficacy of commercial vaccines under field conditions;
2. Development and new technology on vaccines;
3. PRRSV interactions with other viruses and bacteria;
4. Inhibition/regulation of the immune response by PRRSV;
5. PRRSV pathogenesis and immune response to PRRSV infection;
6. Antivirals’ development against PRRSV infection.

Dr. Vasileios Papatsiros
Dr. Georgios Papakonstantinou
Guest Editors

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