於2006年6月開始,中國大陸爆發高致病性豬生殖與呼吸綜合症病毒(porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus; PRRSV)之流行,豬隻發病率達100%,死亡率為25-50%。中國高致病性豬生殖與呼吸綜合症臨床症狀包括高燒約40-42℃、呼吸促迫、呼吸困難以及紅斑性皮疹等。由該病毒的基因序列全段分析顯示,於非結構蛋白2(nonstructural protein 2 ; NSP2)中有一重要特徵,即為不連續刪除30個胺基酸,而刪除的1與29個胺基酸分別位於北美株VR-2332之胺基酸序列中第480與531-559位置。本實驗設計引子對2691 F與3060 R,利用反轉錄聚合酶鏈反應可增幅台灣2007至2008年所分離的15株PRRSV,其增幅產物為347 bp,而於2004和2006年所分離的病毒株其增幅產物為560 bp,依已發表的中國高致病性PRRSV基因序列計算其增幅產物應為470 bp,因此,本技術可作為上述不同病毒株的鑑別診斷之用。應用此技術及NSP2基因分析結果顯示,本土PRRSV尚無上述不連續刪除的基因序列。
Outbreaks of a severe form of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), have occurred in pig herds in China since June, 2006. The infection of this highly pathogenic PRRS virus (PRRSV) resulted in 100% morbidity and 25–50% mortality. The clinical signs include high fever ( 40–42℃), respiratory distress, dyspnoea and erythematous blanching rash. Whole-genome analysis showed that a unique molecular hallmark in these viral isolates, namely a discontinuous deletions of 1 and 29 amino acids in nonstructural protein 2 (NSP2) corresponding to positions 480 and 531–559 of strain VR-2332, respectively, was observed. These unique molecular indicators in NSP2 are only found in highly pathogenic PRRSV isolates, implying that they can be used as a novel marker for the differential detection of PRRSV strains with different degree of virulence. In order to prevent the invasion of this highly pathogenic PRRSV into pig herds in Taiwan, we established an RT-PCR with primers 2691F and 3060R that amplified 347 bps and 560 bps products of Taiwanese PRRSV isolated during 2007-2008 and 2004-2006, respectively. Using the same primer pair, a 470 bps of amplification product for highly pathogenic PRRSV should be obtained as calculated by the published gene sequence. According to the sizes of amplification products, differential diagnosis can be achieved among these three PRRSV strains. So far, no highly pathogenic PRRSV has been diagnosed in pigs in Taiwan.