Project Number: 3625-32000-088-08
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 17, 2007
End Date: Sep 16, 2010

Objective:
Develop a collaborative program between the United States and the Philippines to investigate the epidemiology of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, and to improve control and prevention strategies for this swine disease.

Approach:
The interaction of U.S. and Philippine scientists. A USDA-ARS scientist(s) must visit the Philippines to understand the recent outbreaks, vaccines used, strains circulating, facilities, equipment and personnel expertise. During this visit plans can be made for a scientist(s) from the Philippines to visit a USDA laboratory to gain experience in advanced diagnostic techniques, develop or obtain diagnostic reagents and tests, and study vaccination and control techniques. Epidemiologic investigations into current Philippine epidemics will be conducted. Field investigations will focus on animal husbandry practices, vaccination strategies, and diagnostics. Results will be compared to successful PRRSV control programs in the United States with the hope of identifying specific action plans that may be beneficial in the Philippines. Vaccination studies may need to be conducted to determine if the current vaccine used in the Philippines is protecting pigs from infection with the current virulent strains of PRRS circulating in the Philippines. This work can be conducted in the Philippines or in the United States, or both, depending upon time and resources in both countries. It is anticipated the investigations will identify mixed infections in most, if not all field cases. Pathogens isolated from these cases will be stored for future analysis that will be dependent on available funding. Characterization of current PRRSV isolates in the Philippines. PRRSV isolated from outbreaks in the Philippines will be archived. These isolates or their nucleic acid, will be sent to the United States for further analysis and genotyping. Using this information a determination can be made as to the types of strains circulating in the Philippines, the relatedness of these strains and information gathered as to their epidemiology. If the strains can not be sent to the United States, sequencing can be arranged to be conducted in the Philippines and Philippine scientists trained in interpretation.