The study showed that Virkon® S demonstrated an excellent performance against PRRS virus in a "real world" livestock transport setting using full size pig trailers under practical constraints to match field conditions. The researchers lead by Scott Dee, selected Virkon® S as the study disinfectant as it has a proven broad spectrum of activity including against PRRSV.

PRRS virus is one of the most serious challenges facing modern pig production today. An acute outbreak can cost US$255 (£168) per sow but annual ongoing costs can be US$76 per sow. The PRRS virus is highly infective and studies have implicated live pig transport as an important method of spread of PRRS. Control of PRRS transmission requires effective disinfection even if heating methods are used.

The Scott Dee study was carried out at the end of a series of studies designed to establish a practical approach to PRRS control on pig transport at a commercial level. While there is now evidence that various drying and heating techniques can also help remove PRRS virus from vehicles, the vast majority of businesses have little or no access to these processes, and even if they can access them effective disinfection is still needed. To answer practical considerations this study was set up to reflect "real world" biosecurity constraints which apply to the majority of modern commercial production systems.

The authors concluded that this study has considerable strength and answers one of the most important challenges of pig transport biosecurity. That is that it is repeatedly and consistently possible, under field type conditions and real world constraints, to prevent transmission of PRRS virus in live haul vehicles using a disinfection programme utilizing Virkon® S. This was in spite of the very high concentrations of PRRS virus used to infect the trailers. These results mean that biosecurity and transport managers can now develop and maintain practical truck biosecurity programmes that will control PRRS transmission via pig transport.

Not only this, but the group chose a disinfectant with a proven broad spectrum of activity against many viruses, bacteria, fungi and other pathogens. This is another indication that Virkon® S is the disinfectant of choice for transport biosecurity.