Over the years, many of our efforts have focused on the development of PRRS vaccines that we hoped would be just as effective as those used to help prevent several other economically important viral diseases of swine (eg, swine fever, pseudorabies, parvovirus-induced reproductive failure, and swine influenza), but unfortunately, this has not been the case. While attenuated-live-virus PRRS vacci...

The innate immune system recognizes microbial components through pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including membrane-bound Toll-like receptors and cytosolic receptors such as RIG-I-like receptors and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sensors. These PRRs trigger distinct signal transduction pathways that culminate in induction of an array of cytokines and other mediators required for host defense...

The antiviral innate immune response follows the detection of viral components by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Two families of PRRs have emerged as key sensors of viral infection: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and retinoic acid inducible gene-I like RNA helicases (RLHs). TLRs patrol the extracellular and endosomal compartments; signalling results in a type-1 interferon response and/o...

Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) does not induce interferon (IFN) production in fibroblasts or bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. In this report, we show that the essential IFN-beta transcription factors NF-kappaB and IFN regulatory factor 3 are not activated for nuclear translocation and gene induction during infection. However, MHV was unable to inhibit the activation of these factors and subseq...

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is characterised by reproductive failure of sows and respiratory problems of piglets and growing pigs. The disease is caused by the PRRS virus, a virus currently classified as a member of the order Nidovirales, family Arteriviridae, genus Arterivirus. The primary target cell of the virus is the alveolar macrophage of the pig. Two major antige...

Objective: To test the efficacy of Ingelvac PRRS ATP (Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc, St Joseph, Missouri), a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine, to protect against respiratory disease and lesions induced by challenge of growing pigs with one of three porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) field isolates (SDSU73, VR2385, and Mn-01-A1). On the basis of genome sequencing o...

NLR Proteins In mammals, germ-line encoded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) detect the presence of pathogens either directly through recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or indirectly through sensing host-derived danger signals (DAMPs). The innate immune system comprises several classes of PRRs that allow the early detection of pathogens at the site of infection. Th...

PRRS is one of the most challenging diseases for world-wide pig production. Attempts for a sustainable control of this scourge by vaccination have not yet fully satisfied. With an increasing knowledge and methodology in disease resistance, a new world-wide endeavour has been started to support the combat of animal diseases, based on the existence of valuable gene variants with regard to any hos...

Recent reports from the China and Southeast Asia have alerted the world to a new variant of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus. The disease produced by this virus is characterized by high morbidity and significant mortality that has devastated the pig industries of the affected countries (Figure 1). The growing import/export activities in that part of the world and t...