Deadly Pig Virus Likely to Ease in US by Year-End - OIE Chief

May 27, 2014 — 

The head of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) believes Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) will ease before the end of the year. "I'm confident. Like in all other diseases we know how to stop them once we have identified the causes properly," OIE Director General Bernard Vallat told Reuters. Vallat believes the wild spread of the virus, now confirmed in more than 6,600 cases in 30 states, was spread mainly due to a lack of hygienic precautions � notably disinfecting trucks entering and leaving farms. Vallat did not rule out any potential link to feed. He expected the disease to stabilise in the United States after a first wave mainly hit so-called "naive" herds which had not been previously exposed to the virus and had not developed antibodies. "I expect it to subside before the end of the year," he said. [Source: Reuters, May 20, 2014]