Pathogenicity and antigenicity of a novel NADC30-like strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus emerged in China

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has spread globally and caused huge economic loss. In recent years, a new kind of highly pathogenic NADC30-like strain has emerged in China. However, the pathogenicity and antigenicity of the virus are not well understood. In this study, PRRSV strain FJ1402 was isolated from piglets with clinical signs in Fujian Province in China in 2014. The complete genomic sequence analysis showed that it arose from recombination of North America NADC30 strain and highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) in China. Experiment in piglets showed that FJ1402 had similar virulence to HP-PRRSV strain BB0907. The commercial PRRSV modified live vaccines TJM-F92 and R98 could partly provide protective efficacy against FJ1402 challenge in piglets. This should be helpful for preventing and controlling this disease in the future.