Systemic Homologous Neutralizing Antibodies Are Inadequate for the Evaluation of Vaccine Protective Efficacy against Coinfection by High Virulent PEDV and PRRSV

ABSTRACT G2 porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (G2 PEDV) and highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 2 (HP-PRRSV2) are two of the most prevalent swine pathogens in China’s swine herds, and their coinfection occurs commonly. Several PED and PRRS vaccines have been utilized in China for decades, and systemic homologous neutralizing antibodies (shnAbs) in serum are frequently used to evaluate the protective efficacy of PED and PRRS vaccines. To develop a vaccine candidate against G2 PEDV and HP-PRRSV2 coinfection, in this study, we generated a chimeric virus (rJSTZ1712-12-S) expressing S protein of G2 PEDV using an avirulent HP-PRRSV2 rJSTZ1712-12 infectious clone as the viral vector. The rJSTZ1712-12-S strain has similar replication efficacies as the parental rJSTZ1712-12 virus. In addition, animal inoculation indicated that rJSTZ1712-12-S is not pathogenic to piglets and can induce shnAbs against both G2 PEDV and HP-PRRSV2 isolates after prime-boost immunization. However, passive transfer study in neonatal piglets deprived of sow colostrum showed that rJSTZ1712-12-S-induced shnAbs may only decrease PEDV and PRRSV viremia but cannot confer sufficient protection against dual challenge of high virulent G2 PEDV XJ1904-34 strain and HP-PRRSV2 XJ17-5 isolate. Overall, this study provides the first evidence that shnAbs confer insufficient protection against PEDV and PRRSV coinfection and are inadequate for the evaluation of protective efficacy of PED and PRRS bivalent vaccine (especially for the PED vaccine). IMPORTANCE Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) coinfection occurs commonly and can synergistically reduce feed intake and pig growth. Vaccination is an effective strategy utilized for PED and PRRS control, and systemic homologous neutralizing antibodies (shnAbs) in serum are commonly used for protective efficacy evaluation of PED and PRRS vaccines. Currently, no commercial vaccine is available against PEDV and PRRSV coinfection. This study generated a chimeric vaccine candidate against the coinfection of prevalent PEDV and PRRSV in China. The chimeric strain can induce satisfied shnAbs against both PEDV and PRRSV after prime-boost inoculation in pigs. But the shnAbs cannot confer sufficient protection against PEDV and PRRSV coinfection in neonatal piglets. To the best of our knowledge, these findings provide the first evidence that shnAbs confer insufficient protection against PEDV and PRRSV coinfection and are inadequate for evaluating PED and PRRS bivalent vaccine protective efficacy.