Epizootiological and diagnostic significance of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome control

• Main Authors: Radojičić Biljana, Đuričić Bosiljka, Gagrčn M.
• Format: Article
• Language: srp
• Published: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Belgrade 2002-01-01
• Series: Veterinarski Glasnik
• Subjects: epizootiological; diagnostic; importance of control; PRRS
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-2457/2002/0350-24570202021R.pdf

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a new viral disease in swine, designated exclusively under the acronym PRRS by the European Commission in 1991. The cause of this disease was isolated and determined in 1991 at the Lelystad Institute in The Netherlands as Lelystad aretrivirus. The PRRSV is an RNA virus of the order Nidovirales, the family Arteriviridae, the genus Arterivirus (Cavanaugh, 1997). Different genomic and pheriotypic varieties of the virus are significant. It is replicated in macrophages, it induces permanent viraemia, causes the creation of antibodies, and leads to persistent and latent infections. It is isolated from tonsil tissue, alveolar macrophages, the uterus, and fetal homogenate composed of different tissues (Wills et al., 1997). All production categories of swine can contract PRRS, but pregnant sows, suckling piglets and fattening swine are considered endangered categories. Morbidity and mortapty is between 8-80%, which also depends on the animal category. Economic damages are substantial when one considers the high percentage of still-born piglets, mummified fetuses and suckling piglets. Irregular successive cycles in sows are also expressed. In fattening swine, in addition to a respiratory form of the clinical picture, the time period until animals reach abattoir weight is extended even up to 30 days, which is also a considerable economic loss. Costs of treating possible secondary bacterial infections, diagnostics and immunoprophylaxis are not negligible. The OIE placed PRRS on the B list in 1992 as a contagious disease of swine which incurs economic losses in almost all countries of the world. Diagnosis is made by isolating and determining the virus and/or by serodiagnostics (ELISA and PCR). Certain countries have already made up protocols for the implementation of constant diagnostics and suggested eradication measures (Dee S.A. et al., 2000). In our country, the first clinical cases of PRRS were recorded in Herceg Novi in 1998 (Radojicic Biljana et al., 2002). It is our opinion that the implementation of PRRS diagnostics must begin in our country as well, especially since the disease has a clinical picture which is similar to swine plague, so that wrong diagnoses are possible.