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The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) represents one of the most significant threats to global swine health, causing considerable economic losses. Although various transmission routes are known, long-distance airborne transmission has historically been underestimated and remains a topic of debate.
Objective: This review aims to identify the peer-reviewed publications on long-distance airborne PRRSV transmission that meet the inclusion criteria and summarize current knowledge.
Methods: A search was conducted in the PubMed database following the PRISMA methodology, resulting in the selection of 28 relevant publications from the years 1997 to 2024, including experimental studies, clinical case reports, reviews, and simulation models.
Results: The results show that the virus can be transmitted via aerosols over distances of up to 9.1 km from the source under favorable environmental conditions. Factors such as temperature, relative humidity, wind, viral strain virulence, aerosol particle size, topography, farm density, and the use of air filtration systems significantly influence this form of spread. Furthermore, documented cases support the hypothesis of airborne transmission between farms located up to 6–8 km apart. Currently, atmospheric dispersion models predict a theoretical risk of infection at distances of up to 25 km, particularly in autumn and winter.
Conclusion: The available evidence supports that long-distance airborne transmission of PRRSV is possible and should be considered in prevention and health control strategies, especially in regions with high swine density, where reinforcing biosecurity measures is crucial.
