A gE/gI deleted PRV strain JS-2012-△gE/gI was generated from a PRV variant strain using homologous DNA recombination.
JS-2012-△gE/gI was avirulent to two-week-old suckling piglets.
JS-2012-△gE/gI provided full protection for piglets against challenge of either the classical PRV or the PRV variant.
Vaccinating sows with JS-2012-△gE/gI provided passive immunity to suckling piglets against challenge with the virulent strains.