Project Number: 1265-32000-087-06
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Jan 01, 2008
End Date: Jun 01, 2009

Objective:
Porcine respiratory and the reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) Host Genetics Consortium: A proposal to develop a consortium to study the role of host genetics and resistance to PRRSV infection. 1. Use genotyping and phenotyping tools to determine if there are host genes controlling resistance/susceptibility to fPRRSV infection 2. Verify genetic variation in response to PRRSV, via improved health, survivability and growth 3. Identify relative importance of different phenotypes and their heritability, that predict respons to PRRSV infection.

Approach:
This is a multi-year program project that is funded by a consortium representing the National Pork Board (NPB), USDA and private companies. The consortium represents the first-of-its-kind approach to food animal infectious disease research. Even though the budget is for one year it is expected that the NPB will suppport the project at a similar level for a total of three years. Additional funds could be available from the USDA, CSREES, PRRS CAP2 grant. Companies are expeccted to support the project at a level of $1 million for the three year period. Most of the contributions will be in-kind. Funding for the first year is in two parts. The first is the infection and sample collection from pigs, which will be conducted at K-State. The second part is the allocation of funding for two subcontracts. One subcontrct will involve the creation of a relational database (Reecy at Iowa State); the second will be cytokine testing and sample cataloging (Lunney at ARS, USDA).