Investigation of people as mechanical vectors for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Methods: Seventy 7-day-old PRRSV-free pigs were placed in four isolation rooms. Seven days later, the 20 pigs in one isolation room were inoculated with PRRSV. Seven days after inoculation, 10 people had 1 hour of contact with these clinically ill pigs. Immediately after exposure to these pigs, five people had similar contact with 20 Direct Human Exposure sentinel pigs. The remaining people showered, changed clothes and boots, and then contacted 20 Indirect Human Exposure sentinel pigs. Ten pigs served as negative controls. Human samples were collected before and after human contact with PRRSV-inoculated pigs and tested for PRRSV RNA.