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Fomite Persistence of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus is Affected by Relative Humidity and
Janak Dhakal1,2, Vanessa Whitmore1, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari3,4,5
1Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA.
None:
The environmental resilience of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) enhances its potential for indirect transmission and complicates control efforts. This study evaluated the persistence of PRRSV on polypropylene (PP) and stainless steel (SS). A PRRSV suspension (> 6 log TCID50) was inoculated onto PP and SS coupons (2.2 cm × 2.2 cm) coated with organic soil and allowed to dry for 15 min. Samples were then incubated at 4 °C and 25 °C under 40-45% and 65% relative humidity (RH). Virus recovery and titration were performed on days 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-inoculation using PRRSV-permissive MARC-145 cells in 96-well tissue culture plates. The experiment was conducted in triplicate. At 4 °C/45% RH and 4 °C/65% RH, infectious PRRSV was recovered from both surfaces through day 7, at > 3.6 and 2.9 log TCID50, respectively. At 4 °C/45% RH, a significant reduction was observed by day 3 on PP and by day 1 on SS (P < 0.05), while at 4 °C/65% RH, titers remained stable through day 3 before declining. At 25 °C/40% RH, infectious virus was detectable until day 3 on PP and day 1 on SS, with significantly lower titers thereafter. At 25 °C/65% RH, no infectious virus was detected after day 0 on either surface. These results highlight the persistence of PRRSV under cooler, low-RH conditions and underscore the need for targeted controls to limit viral survival in swine production and feed handling environments.
