Genetic diversity analysis of the ORF5 gene in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus samples from South China.

To understand the genetic diversity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in South China, we collected 231 clinical samples from pigs with suspected PRRSV infection in Guangdong between 2007 and 2009. We found that 74 of 231 samples were positive by RT-PCR. The PCR products of the ORF5 gene of 35 isolates from different farms were sequenced and their DNA sequences were compared to 23 other PRRSV isolates in the GenBank.