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PED Pig Virus Persists, Origin Still Unknown

June 6, 2014 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

If you raise hogs, you’re undoubtedly aware of a nasty virus attacking swine on farms across the country called Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus or PEDv.

You might not know that it was first spotted in the U.S. in Ohio in 2013. While Ohio is not currently the state with the most documented cases of PEDv, our state is at the geographic heart of the disease. According to data being collected by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the midwestern U.S. states are the epicenter of PEDv. According to various media reports, U.S. officials are not certain as to how PEDv – more common in other parts of the world – got into the U.S.

On Wednesday, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $26 million is being pushed at various responses to PEDv. In a news release, USDA pointed out that the virus is not harmful to humans and poses no risk to food safety.

PEDv has had serious effects on many U.S. farms, though.

“In the last year, industry has estimated PEDv has killed some 7 million piglets and caused tremendous hardship for many American pork producers,” said Vilsack.

“The number of market-ready hogs this summer could fall by more than 10 percent relative to 2013 because of PEDv. Together with industry and our State partners, the steps we will take through the Federal Order will strengthen the response to PEDv and these other viruses and help us lessen the impact to producers, which ultimately benefit the consumers who have seen store pork prices rise by almost 10 percent in the past year.”

A USDA federal order requires producers, veterinarians, and diagnostic laboratories to report all cases of PEDv and other new swine enteric coronavirus diseases to USDA and state animal health officials. The industry is already seeing herds previously impacted by the virus become re-infected, and routine and standard disease reporting will help identify the magnitude of the disease in the United States and can help determine whether additional actions are needed.

Here are a few links to file away to continue to follow news on PEDv and the efforts to combat the virus:

  • USDA APHIS Page on PEDv and Swine Enteric Coronavirus Diseases
  • Questions and Answers on PEDv by USDA
  • Link to archive of weekly updates from APHIS on PEDv

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: PEDv, Pig Virus

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