Addition to SHIC Domestic Surveillance Report Intended to Help Pork Producers Deal with PED

A new tool added to the Swine Health Information Center's domestic swine disease monitoring report will strengthen the efforts of pork producers to rid the swine industry of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea.This month’s domestic swine disease monitoring report, released as part of the Swine health Information Center's July eNewsletter brings onboard PEDV PCR genotyping information.

SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says this is an exciting change to the system because it can look at how many samples are being tested and at the different types of viruses that are being identified.

Quote-Dr. Lisa Becton-Swine Health Information Center:

For example you can look at the detection of the non indel strain, which is thought to be more pathogenic, versus the indel strain which typically can be a milder presentation.This is important because, as you look at different control strategies and management that veterinarians and producers do, they may decide to utilize a milder strain for herd exposure because that may lead to less clinical symptoms if you have the non indel strain because you want to minimize the impact on the herd.

It's also important to help us understand, are there dual infections that are present and look at how movements or changes in herds can help with the management through biosecurity.Again, more information on the different types of PED that are found can really help in the management of the herd's health and biosecurity.Again this is really important information, especially now that there is some movement to look at how we can potentially eliminate PED virus.
If you can detect a more pathogenic strain versus a not as pathogenic strain, that can help in other management strategies to assess for elimination of the virus overall.The end goal really is to get the virus out of a herd and system because we want to reduce the impacts that these viruses have on our herd health.

The Swine Health Information Center’s domestic and global swine disease surveillance reports can be accessed at swinehealth.org. For more visit Farmscape.Ca.