Assessment of safety and reproductive performance after vaccination with a modified live-virus PRRS genotype 1 vaccine in pregnant sows at various stages of gestation.

The objective of the present study was to assess safety and efficacy of a new modified live-virus porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) genotype 1 vaccine in pregnant sows at various stages of gestation under field conditions. A total of 505 sows and gilts were allocated to two treatment groups and maintained in separate facilities. Animals of group 1 were vaccinated with a commercial modified live genotype 1 PRRSV vaccine (control product, CP), while animals of group 2 were immunized with a new modified live genotype 1 PRRSV vaccine (investigational veterinary product, IVP) (ReproCyc® PRRS EU, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH). Injection site reactions were noted to be significantly less frequent in the IVP group compared to the CP group for pain (p=0.039), redness (p=0.030), heat (p=0.016) and swelling (p=0.002). The mean total number of piglets alive at weaning did not differ significantly between both study groups (10.6 vs. 11.0, p=0.375). However, pre-weaning mortality was significantly higher (p=0.005) in piglets from the CP group (14.1% vs. 10.9%). Analyses of reproductive performance data for both groups did not result in statistically significant differences between CP group and IVP group for number of piglets alive (12.7 and 12.6, respectively), healthy live (11.9 and 11.8), weak (0.7 and 0.5), stillborn (1.0 and 0.8) and mummified piglets (0.3 and 0.2) per litter. No differences were detected between both groups for piglet birth weights, while body weights at weaning (7.2kg vs. 6.6kg, p=0.026) and average daily gain (0.2445kg vs. 0.2211kg, p=0.037) were significantly higher in piglets from the IVP group. In conclusion, the administration of a single dose of ReproCyc® PRRS EU to sows and gilts at various stages of gestation confirmed non-inferiority to a commercial PRRS vaccine regarding safety and efficacy parameters under field conditions.