Eradication of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus by serum inoculation of naïve gilts.

Abstract

The acclimatization program included exposure to serum and recovery. A continuous flow unit (nursery to finishing) from the same farm was selected as a potential source of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Negative gilts were inoculated 5 d after arrival by intramuscular injection of serum from selected animals. There was a significant reduction in seroprevalence in the sow herd 1 y after implementation of the gilt inoculation program (P < 0.05). At that time, all of the tested nursery pigs were negative for PRRSV. The fully segregated finisher population had a significant reduction in the frequency of PRRSV positive animals (P < 0.05) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with all animals testing negative by the end of the study. However a persistent seroconversion was observed in the partially segregated finisher pigs (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the gilt serum inoculation program achieved sow herd stabilization, as defined by the production of negative weaned pigs and this resulted in the eradication of PRRSV in the fully segregated flow.