Abstract

abstract: “Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains one of the most economically significant pathogens in the global swine industry. Despite the availability of commercial vaccines, they often provide inconsistent protection against heterologous PRRSV strains. This study aimed to predict vaccine immunogenicity by detecting strain-specific immune responses related to an immune correlate of protection (CoP) against different PRRSV-2 strains. Post-weaning pigs were vaccinated with five commercially available PRRSV-2 vaccines. An immune bank was established from isolated PBMCs and plasma at 28 days post-vaccination. These were tested against six PRRSV-2 strains to evaluate immune responses. T cell epitope coverage (EpiCC) was assessed to enhance predictive capacity. While neutralizing antibodies were undetectable at 28 dpv, PRRSV-specific IFNγ–producing cells were detected at various levels in each vaccinated group. A positive correlation was observed between EpiCC coverage of the N gene and mean IFNγ responses. The PRRSV immune bank demonstrated potential as a tool for predicting vaccine immunogenicity, providing a valuable framework for selecting more effective vaccines in endemic areas.”