Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Spiking In Farms Across Midwest, In Canada

[hatrack]

(Reuters) - Cases of the deadly Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus, a highly contagious pig disease, are increasing across the U.S. farm belt, a group of animal health researchers said.

Confirmed cases of PEDv increased by 252 in the week ending March 1, bringing the total number to 4,106 in 26 states, according to data released on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Animal Health Laboratory Network.

While one case can represent an individual animal or an entire herd at a single site, swine specialists estimate PEDv has killed at least 4 million U.S. hogs since it was discovered in May 2013. Pork processors were finding it more difficult to purchase hogs for slaughter due to the virus, which is starting to affect the pork supply and could eventually boost pork prices for consumers, industry sources said.

The Canadian Swine Health Board has confirmed that four provinces also have cases of the virus. The provinces are Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. PEDv causes diarrhea, vomiting and severe dehydration in pigs. While older pigs have a chance of survival, 80 to 100 percent of piglets that contract it die.

EDIT

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/07/us-usa-hogs-virus-idUSBREA261R420140307

[loudsue]

1. The virus does not affect humans and is not a food safety risk.

I hope like hell it doesn't. Because if it did, our government would keep it from us long enough for hog farmers to make a HUGE profit. THEN they might step in. But not before a profit could be had.

[countryjake]

2. I read about this when I was in Ohio last year, dogs have a new virus, too...

and as far as I know, they have yet to determine if the viruses could be related in any way. There are also now two new viruses affecting the Ohio pig population.

Here are two articles about the dog virus from last Fall:

State probes mysterious dog illness killing pets
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/09/10/state-probes-mysterious-dog-illness-killing-pets.html

Pig disease found in Ohio dog that died
http://www.fox19.com/story/23403328/ohio-department-of-ag-finds-canine-circovirus-in-dog-that-died


This is from last month:

Ohio Department of Agriculture finds new pig virus Feb 12, 2014
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/us-usa-hogs-virus-idUSBREA1B20820140212