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Cross-protection conferred by intradermal PRRSV-1 modified live vaccine against a highly virulent Vietnamese PRRSV-2 strain in pigs

Source: PubMed Central Open Access, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

Frontiers in Veterinary ScienceLast synced 7/24/2026Status: syncedPMID: 42488905 pmidDOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1866378

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) remain one of the most economically significant diseases affecting the global swine industry. Caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), the disease leads to reproductive failure in sows and respiratory disorders in pigs of all ages. In Vietnam, PRRSV was officially reported in 2007, and the emergence of highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) strains has since intensified outbreaks with high morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the efficacy of the intradermal PRRSV-1 commercial vaccine (UNISTRAIN® PRRS, HIPRA) in piglets experimentally challenged with a Vietnamese HP-PRRSV-2 strain. Twenty-eight PRRS naïve, 21-day-old piglets were randomly assigned to a VC group, including vaccinated and challenged pigs (= 12); UVC group, including unvaccinated and challenged pigs (= 12); and a UVUC group, including unvaccinated and unchallenged pigs (= 4). At 5 weeks post-vaccination, all animals in VC group and UVC group were challenged intramuscularly with 3 mL of HP-PRRSV (lineage L8E, 2025; at a dose of 10CCID₅₀/pig) and monitored for 28 days post-infection (dpi). Clinical signs, rectal temperature, viremia, antibody response, macro/micropathological lesions and growth performance were evaluated. Vaccinated pigs exhibited a lower incidence of fever and milder respiratory signs than unvaccinated pigs, corresponding to reduced clinical scores. Despite viremia in both groups post-infection, vaccinated pigs exhibited reduced viral loads, short

Abstract

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) remain one of the most economically significant diseases affecting the global swine industry. Caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), the disease leads to reproductive failure in sows and respiratory disorders in pigs of all ages. In Vietnam, PRRSV was officially reported in 2007, and the emergence of highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) strains has since intensified outbreaks with high morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the efficacy of the intradermal PRRSV-1 commercial vaccine (UNISTRAIN® PRRS, HIPRA) in piglets experimentally challenged with a Vietnamese HP-PRRSV-2 strain. Twenty-eight PRRS naïve, 21-day-old piglets were randomly assigned to a VC group, including vaccinated and challenged pigs (= 12); UVC group, including unvaccinated and challenged pigs (= 12); and a UVUC group, including unvaccinated and unchallenged pigs (= 4). At 5 weeks post-vaccination, all animals in VC group and UVC group were challenged intramuscularly with 3 mL of HP-PRRSV (lineage L8E, 2025; at a dose of 10CCID₅₀/pig) and monitored for 28 days post-infection (dpi). Clinical signs, rectal temperature, viremia, antibody response, macro/micropathological lesions and growth performance were evaluated. Vaccinated pigs exhibited a lower incidence of fever and milder respiratory signs than unvaccinated pigs, corresponding to reduced clinical scores. Despite viremia in both groups post-infection, vaccinated pigs exhibited reduced viral loads, shorter viremia duration, and lower incidence than unvaccinated pigs at 7 dpi ( 0.05). Overall, intradermal PRRSV-1 vaccination partially protected against heterologous HP-PRRSV-2, lowering disease severity and promoting early antibody production.

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