Porcine Respiratory & Reproductive Syndrome virus is a virus that causes a disease of pigs, called porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), also known as “blue-ear pig disease”. This economically important disease causes reproductive failure in breeding stock and respiratory tract illness in young pigs.

 Transmission most commonly occurs by close contact between pigs or by exposure to contaminated body fluids such as semen, virus-contaminated blood, secretions, or on contaminated needles, coveralls, and boots. An important feature of the PRRS virus is the ability of infected pigs to transmit the virus for up to 100 days.