DETECTION AND CONTROL OF PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND RESPIRATORY SYNDROME VIRUS AND EMERGING VIRAL DISEASES OF SWINE

<b>Project Methods</b><br> Vaccines for ASF, CSF and PRRS include the expression of candidate antigens in vaccine vectors. Pigs are vaccinated and then challenged with live virus. The vaccine development of foreign animal diseases, such as ASF and CSF is performed in the Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI) under BSL-3 Ag containment conditions.Diagnostics for serology includes the cloning and expression of immunogenic proteins. Proteins are coated onto ELISA plates and antibodies detected directly. Specificity is increasedthrough the incorporation monoclonal antibodies into a blocking format. Multiplexing for the detection of several targets is achieved byincorporating new technologies, such as Luminex.Targets for genetic modification include the construction of genetically modified pigs that lack virus receptors. Refinements include the expression and modification of recombinant receptors using in vitro systems, to find the smallest region on the receptor involved in virus infection. This information is used to construct the next round of genetically modified pigs.Risk analysis for the introduction of ASFV in feed is performed in the BRI. Different amounts of ASFV is mixed with different feed ingredients and fed to pigs under conditionsincorporating natural feedingbehaviors. The minimal infectious dose is then calculated.