Up until recently, no one knew how to stop the PRRS virus from affecting pigs and how the virus first enters the affected pigs' bodies. The protein CD163 helps spread the PRRS virus inside the pigs, and these researchers have found a way to edit the gene that makes this protein so they can breed pigs that do not produce it. By not producing this protein, the virus will not spread and when exposed to the virus, the pigs are not affected.
Although all of this research is not done, finding a way in which to breed pigs that are resistant to this disease is a huge step forward in finding out other ways in stopping other harmful viruses in not just pigs, but humans also. It is also helping North American farmers save millions of dollars per year by not having pigs that have this disease that eventually die. This article was certainly interesting and by learning how viruses come into the body and how they are affected by certain proteins can help in the future in preventing and controlling diseases.
