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Insights into genetic determinants of piglet survival during a PRRSV outbreak

Authors :
Joaquim Tarrés
Teodor Jové-Juncà
Carles Hernández-Banqué
Olga González-Rodríguez
Llilianne Ganges
Sofia Gol
Marta Díaz
Josep Reixach
Ramona N. Pena
Raquel Quintanilla
Maria Ballester
Source :
Veterinary Research, Vol 55, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
BMC, 2024.

Abstract

Abstract Breeding animals to produce more robust and disease-resistant pig populations becomes a complementary strategy to the more conventional methods of biosecurity and vaccination. The objective of this study was to explore the ability of a panel of genetic markers and immunity parameters to predict the survival rates during a natural PRRSV outbreak. Ten-week-old female Duroc pigs (n = 129), obtained from 61 sows and 20 boars, were naturally infected with a highly pathogenic PRRSV genotype 1 strain. Prior to infection, piglets were screened for immunity parameters (IgG levels in plasma and SOX13 mRNA expression in blood) and genetic markers previously associated to PRRSV immune response and immunity traits. Additionally, the 20 boars were genotyped with a panel of 132 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Survival analysis showed that mortality was significantly higher for animals with low basal IgG levels in plasma and/or high SOX13 mRNA expression in blood. The genotypes of sires for SNPs associated with IgG plasma levels, CRP in serum, percentage of γδ T cells, lymphocyte phagocytic capacity, total number of lymphocytes and leukocytes, and MCV and MCH were significantly associated with the number of surviving offspring. Furthermore, CD163 and GBP5 markers were also associated to piglet survival. The effects of these SNPs were polygenic and cumulative, survival decreased from 94 to 21% as more susceptible alleles were accumulated for the different markers. Our results confirmed the existence of genetic variability in survival after PRRSV infection and provided a set of genetic markers and immunity traits associated with PRRS resistance.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
12979716
Volume :
55
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Veterinary Research
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.862c3183474fb3a8a4981b5f799683
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-024-01421-8