Developing a rapid, adaptable point-of-care diagnostic pipeline and device for the fast-mutating PRRSV

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征（PRRS），又称蓝耳病，给全球养猪业造成了巨大的经济损失。该病毒的高突变率导致成年猪出现新的变异和再感染，使目前的控制措施具有挑战性。疫苗对新毒株的保护作用有限，这突出表明迫切需要有效的控制计划来减轻病毒的影响。然而，用于检测病毒的市售PCR试剂盒灵敏度有限，每年仅更新一次，不足以检测新出现的毒株。我们提出的解决方案利用高通量测序、机器学习辅助引物设计、快速响应验证和定制的床旁检测（POCT）来彻底改变PRRS监测。我们现有的POCT设备和基于环介导等温扩增技术的检测试剂盒对非洲猪瘟病毒表现出高灵敏度和特异性。我们计划修改我们目前的POCT产品，设计一个PRRS面板，以检测和基因型流行菌株在西班牙。我们将与西班牙合作伙伴建立一个全基因组PRRSV序列数据库，该数据库由我们定期从养猪场收集的样本生成，使我们能够快速应对新出现的毒株。实施快速可靠的PRRS诊断系统将使养猪业管理的效率和可靠性达到前所未有的水平。这反过来又会提高农业生产力，导致经济进步。此外，我们的技术将与消费者价值观保持一致，促进道德和可持续的农业实践，并显着改善动物福利。提高养猪业的社会影响力是我们创新生物技术研究的重要成果。

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), or blue ear disease, causes considerable economic losses in the global pig farming industry. The virus's high mutation rate leads to the emergence of new variants and reinfections in adult pigs, making current control measures challenging. Vaccines provide limited protection against new strains, underscoring the critical need for effective control programs to mitigate the virus's impact.However, commercially available PCR kits used to detect the virus have limited sensitivity and are update only once a year, making them inadequate for detecting emerging strains. A new diagnostic test that can quickly and accurately detect all PRRS strains is urgently required.Our proposed solution utilizes high-throughput sequencing, machine-learning-aided primer design, fast response validation, and customized point-of-care testing (POCT) to revolutionize PRRS surveillance. This approach improves control measures' efficiency and enables adaptation to locally emerging strains of fast-mutating viruses like PRRS.Our existing POCT device and testing kit based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification technology have demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity against the African swine fever virus. We plan to modify our current POCT products to design a PRRS panel to detect and genotype prevalent strains in Spain. We will build a database of whole-genome PRRSV sequences generated from samples we regularly collect from pig farms in collaboration with our Spanish partners, enabling us to respond to emerging strains quickly.Implementing fast and reliable diagnosis systems against PRRS will lead to unprecedented efficiency and reliability in managing pig livestock. This, in turn, will improve agricultural productivity, resulting in economic progress. Moreover, our technology will align with consumer values, fostering ethical and sustainable farming practices and significantly improving animal welfare. Advancing the social impact of pig farming is an essential outcome of our innovative biotechnology research.