Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) can rapidly disseminate within pig herds via multiple transmission routes, including aerosol transmission. This causes severe respiratory disease, which frequently leads to secondary infection and mortality in weaned piglets. In sows, late-gestation abortion, stillbirth and the birth of weak piglets are common occurrences. PRRSV infection may persist in pigs for several months before being fully cleared. Given these clinical manifestations and viral persistence, PRRSV remains a disease that causes substantial economic losses in the global swine industry.

Consequently, rapid and reliable detection tools are crucial for effective surveillance and early control. In recent years, single-domain antibodies (sdAbs, also known as VHHs) have attracted significant attention in disease diagnostics. Due to their unique properties, VHHs are proving to be more effective at detecting various diseases than conventional antibodies.

Thanks to their single-domain nature and strict monomeric behaviour, VHHs can be easily cloned and screened from immunized or primary VHH libraries. Furthermore, they are amenable to genetic manipulation and can be produced based on stored sequences. VHHs can be fused with different reporter genes, serving as probes that circumvent the need for enzyme-labelled secondary antibodies and enabling the development of one-step ELISA assays.

Creative Diagnostics offers specialized recombinant viral antigens and VHH-based reagents (VHHs and VHH-HRP fusion proteins) for the development of competitive ELISAs and related assay platforms. VHH-HRP probes can be applied directly in competitive ELISAs without the need for secondary antibodies. Most VHH reagents are also suitable for immunofluorescence assays, with certain products exhibiting neutralising activity, thereby adding value to research and assay development.

The expanded portfolio of high-purity recombinant viral antigens and VHH-based antibodies can target immunodominant proteins. In addition to PRRSV, the key reagents are available for African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV). The Recombinant ASFV H240R Protein [His] (DAGC-55260), for example, can be applied in ELISA and WB. The ASFV H240R protein is a structural protein associated with the viral capsid that is believed to play a role in viral particle assembly and stability. Although its precise function remains unclear, H240R is expressed during late infection and incorporated into mature viral particles. As a conserved component within the ASFV proteome, H240R is of great importance in studies of viral morphogenesis and also has potential as a target for diagnostic or vaccine development.

Creative Diagnostics provides researchers and diagnostic developers with the tools they need to help them improve biosecurity, monitor vaccine efficacy, and rapidly control outbreaks of devastating swine diseases. To know more information about VHH Reagents and Antigens and other viral research products, please visit https://www.creative-diagnostics.com/innovative-vhh-reagents-and-antigens-for-swine-disease-detection.htm.

About Creative Diagnostics

Creative Diagnostics is a leading manufacturer and supplier of antibodies, viral antigens, innovative diagnostic components, and critical assay reagents. In addition to providing contract R&D and biologic manufacturing services for diagnostic manufacturers along with GMP biologics manufacturing for the biopharmaceutical market, the company aims to continue to act as a trusted source for all researchers’ assay development and manufacturing needs.