Review: influenza virus in pigs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Influenza virus poses a significant global health threat, with pigs playing a critical role in its ecology.
• Pigs act as
• mixing vessels
• susceptible to avian, human, and swine influenza viruses, facilitating genetic reassortment.
• Despite their ecological importance, swine immune responses to influenza viruses remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review in vitro studies using porcine cells and influenza virus.
• To examine in vivo immune responses of pigs to human, avian, and swine influenza viruses.
• To highlight the potential of pigs as a valuable large-animal model in immunology.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of in vitro studies involving porcine cells and influenza virus.
• Analysis of in vivo studies on swine immune responses to various influenza virus types.
• Synthesis of current knowledge on porcine influenza virus immunology.

Main Results:

• Pigs are susceptible to a wide range of influenza viruses, enabling reassortment.
• Swine immune responses to influenza viruses are complex and not fully elucidated.
• Pigs are increasingly recognized as valuable models for studying infectious diseases.

Conclusions:

• Further research into swine influenza virus immunology is warranted.
• Pigs show promise as a "gold standard" large-animal model for immunological studies.
• Developing new tools to assess porcine immune responses will enhance their utility in research.