Previously Infected Pigs Spread PED Longer Than Previously Thought

November 15, 2017 — 

The Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork says the risk to pigs of contracting PED from previously infected pigs remains high much longer than had been previously thought. Since the end of April, 80 swine sites in Manitoba have been infected with Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea. The outbreak peaked in June, with 35 new infections before trailing off with 17 cases in July, 14 in August, two in September and two in October. [Source: Farmscape.ca, November 14, 2017, Bruce Cochrane]

Jenelle Hamblin, the Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork told those on hand last week for the organization's Fall Producer Meetings the biggest lesson learned from this outbreak has been the length of time animals continue to shed virus after they appear to be disease free.

Clip-Jenelle Hamblin-Manitoba Pork:
"What we thought was a safe zone for moving the animals post infection, we were looking at 49 days post infection. We would move them and those premises would break with PED from shedding animals so, what we're learning here is that these animals do shed the virus long after initial infection, upwards of 70 days. So controlling those movements and monitoring our animals is probably our best bet at that point. Veterinarians, MPC, Manitoba Agriculture have all been collaborating to teach about the importance of biosecurity and putting those practices into place and, considering the risk factors that are available for the spread of the disease, Indirect contact and indirect movement is responsible for 50 of our current premises. To protect against those types of infections we really have to ramp up our biosecurity."

Hamblin notes the key to control will be to maintain strong biosecurity throughout the winter and into the spring. She says spring is typically when we've seen new cases pop up but, if we keep in mind the virus is here and we need to protect ourselves from it, we have a good chance of keeping it at bay.