Prof. Dr. Hans Nauwynck

Introduction:Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSv) may cause significant losses in pig herds due to pre-weaning mortality and reduced performance in growing pigs. In Belgium, the virus is widespread and endemic in most herds. An earlier trial showed that infection of PRRSv mainly occurs near the end of nursery (8-12 weeks of age (w)). PRRSv vaccines are effective under experi ...

A new disease characterized by reproductive and respiratory problems emerged in Northern America and Western Europe in the late eighties, early nineties. It was caused by a porcine arterivirus, which based on the symptoms was called porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)(Meulenberg et al., 1993). On the two continents, two clearly different genetic/antigenic viruses were circu ...