Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Virus Syndrome is a devastating pig disease causing millions of dollars worth of damage every year throughout the world.  PRRSV is an RNA virus which causes non-specific lymphomononuclear interstitial pneumonitis and which can cause late-term abortion, stillborn, mummified, and weak-born pigs.

The Murtaugh laboratory seeks a comprehensive understanding of porcine immune responses to infectious pathogens, particularly at mucosal surfaces. We have established an oral immunization model for the induction of mucosal immune responses in swine and have explored the role of cytokines in mediating mucosal adjuvanticity.

Current PRRSV Research Projects:

• Quantitative detection of PRRSV using Real-Time PCR
  
• Detection of humoral response to specific PRRSV proteins
  
• Expression of recombinant PRRSV proteins
  
• Mass Spec. analysis of the structural components of PRRSV virions
  
• Characterizing B-cell immune response to PRRSV infection

PRRSV Research Collaborations:

• Adaptive Immunity to Persistant Viral Infection
  
• Iowa State University,  PI:Jeff Zimmerman
  
• PRRSV Transmission
• University of Minnesota,  PI:Scott Dee
  

Other PRRSV links:

•  prrs.org   
  

• The National Pork Board