Aspects of porcine arterivirus entry in macrophages leading to virus persistence

We want to investigate how entry of porcine arterivirus in macrophages via the macrophage-specific receptor sialoadhesin results in intracellular virus survival and virus persistence at cellular and animal level. An in vitro model will be set up to investigate how long virus remains infectious after sialoadhesin-dependent internatization in the macrophage.