Pigs are one of the most important sources of meat in the world, providing about 40% of the global animal protein consumption.
However, they are also vulnerable to a host of diseases that can threaten their health and productivity. One of the most notorious of these is the blue-ear pig disease, also known as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).
What is Blue-Ear Pig Disease and Why is it So Dangerous?(Photo : FRED TANNEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Blue-ear pig disease is a viral infection that affects the respiratory and reproductive systems of pigs. It was first identified in the 1980s in the United States and has since spread to many countries around the world.
The disease causes fever, coughing, breathing difficulties, abortion, stillbirth, and reduced litter size in pigs. It can also kill piglets within a few days of infection. The mortality rate can range from 10% to 80%, depending on the strain of the virus and the age and health of the pigs.
The economic impact of blue-ear pig disease is enormous. According to a study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the disease costs the global pig industry about $5 billion per year in direct losses and $10 billion per year in indirect losses.
These losses include reduced production, increased veterinary costs, lower market prices, and trade restrictions.
The disease also poses a risk to food security and human health, as it can reduce the availability and quality of pork and potentially transmit to other animals and humans.
How CRISPR Could Be the Solution to Blue-Ear Pig Disease
For decades, scientists and farmers have been looking for ways to prevent and control blue-ear pig disease. Various methods have been tried, such as vaccination, biosecurity, and selective breeding, but none of them have been able to provide a complete and lasting solution.
Vaccination can reduce the severity of the disease, but not prevent it completely. Biosecurity can limit the spread of the disease, but not eliminate it entirely. Selective breeding can increase the resistance of some pigs, but not confer immunity to all of them.
However, a new technology could change the game: CRISPR gene editing. CRISPR stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, a system that bacteria use to defend themselves against viruses.
Scientists have harnessed this system to edit the DNA of any organism, including pigs, with unprecedented precision and efficiency.
Using CRISPR, bio-scientists from various institutions in the U.S. have developed a technique that makes newborn pigs immune to blue-ear pig disease.
They do this by deleting a gene called CD163, which is essential for the virus to enter and infect the pig cells. Without this gene, the pigs are resistant to the disease, regardless of the strain of the virus or the environment they live in.
This technique has been tested in laboratory and farm settings, and the results have been promising.
The gene-edited pigs showed no signs of infection or illness after being exposed to the virus, while the non-edited pigs developed severe symptoms and died. The gene-edited pigs also grew normally and had no adverse effects on their health or reproduction.
The CRISPR technique could offer a breakthrough solution to blue-ear pig disease, as it could prevent the disease from occurring in the first place, rather than treating it after it happens.
This could save millions of pigs from suffering and dying, and billions of dollars from being lost. It could also improve the welfare and sustainability of the pig industry, and the security and quality of the pork supply.
What are the Challenges and Opportunities of CRISPR for the Pig Industry?
Despite the potential benefits of CRISPR for the pig industry, there are also some challenges and uncertainties that need to be addressed.
One of the main challenges is the regulation and acceptance of gene-edited pigs by the authorities and the consumers. Different countries have different rules and standards for approving and labeling genetically modified animals, and some of them may be more strict or cautious than others.
For example, in the European Union, gene-edited animals are considered as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and are subject to rigorous safety and environmental assessments before they can be marketed.
In the United States, however, gene-edited animals are not considered as GMOs and are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as new animal drugs.
Another challenge is the ethical and social implications of gene editing in animals. Some people may have moral or religious objections to altering the natural design of animals, or fear the unknown consequences of tampering with their genes.
Some people may also have concerns about the welfare and rights of the animals, or the potential risks of gene editing to the environment and biodiversity.
These issues may affect the public perception and demand for gene-edited pigs and pork products, and may require more education and communication to address them.
On the other hand, there are also many opportunities and advantages of CRISPR for the pig industry.
One of the main opportunities is the possibility of using gene editing to improve other traits and characteristics of pigs, such as growth, feed efficiency, meat quality, disease resistance, and environmental adaptation.
This could enhance the productivity and profitability of the pig industry, and the satisfaction and health of the consumers.
Another opportunity is the potential of using gene editing to create novel and innovative products and services from pigs, such as organs for transplantation, models for biomedical research, and sources of bio-materials.
This could open new markets and applications for the pig industry, and provide new benefits and solutions for society.