Source: Jennifer Shike, Farm Journal’s Pork, 6 August 2020, photo credit: Sofia, June 18, 2015/ Independent Balkan News Agency
University of Connecticut (UConn) researchers have identified a compound that can successfully block the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus.
PRRS is a highly contagious disease that affects both young and adult pigs. It’s the most economically damaging virus in the pork industry throughout the world. In the U.S. alone, the virus is responsible for approximately $600 million in annual losses for farmers.
UConn assistant professor of animal science, Young Tang, and Antonio Garmendia, professor of pathobiology and veterinary science, have successfully identified compounds that can effectively block the virus from infecting pig cells, creating a promising pathway to an alternative treatment, UConn reports in a release. The researchers published their findings in Virology Journal.
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The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) coordinates industry interventions and collaboratively manages risks in the value chain to enable the sustainability and profitability of pork producers in South Africa.
