Pork Producers Warned of New Strain of Strep Zoo

The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network is warning pork producers of the risks posed by a new strain of Streptococcus zooepidemicus. The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network Swine Health Surveillance Report for the first quarter 2021 discusses a strain of Strep zoo first identified in 2019.

CWSHIN Manager Dr. Jette Christensen notes this strain has only been identified in five barns in Canada but it's also been identified in a couple of culled sow shipments going to the assembly yards or it's been detected when they arrive at the slaughter plants.

Clip-Dr. Jette Christensen-Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network:

This particular strain of Streptococcus zooepidemicus can cause high mortalities in sows, 10 to 20 percent mortality, really noticeable so we're concerned about that. So far it seems that there's been only one clone but recently there's a new clone or a potential new strain surfaced in Indiana.

So, what is the take home message for our producers in Canada? The take home message is really that we're shipping animals to the U.S. and then vehicles come back and that's a risk.

It's a risk it's a risk for this new strain, it's a risk for other diseases such as PRRS coming back with these vehicles so we really need to make sure that our biosecurity, that our washing of these vehicles is good so we can avoid bringing something back with contaminated vehicles and equipment from the U.S. when we ship down there.