April 30, 2014
PEDv wipes out 10% of US pig population
Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDv) has spread to 30 US states and for almost a year since it was first detected, it has wiped out 10% of the country''s pig population.
PEDv targets the lining of a pig''s small intestine, causing extreme diarrhoea. It''s highly contagious, and spreads by contact with infected manure or feed.
As many as seven million pigs of the country''s 63 million herd have died from PEDv since the fast-spreading outbreak began, sinking both revenue and morale across US hog farms.
The disease is not a new one, and outbreaks have been reported in Europe, China, Korea, and Japan. But officials have not found any clear evidence of how the virus entered the US. Some suspect the outbreak originated in China, where a virus nearly identical to PEDv infected pigs in Anhui Province. China has imposed an import ban on US live pork in response to the outbreak here.
The unusually cold and snowy winter didn''t help. PEDv thrives in cold, damp environments. The number of reported cases of the infection tripled between last December and this month.
The virus is incredibly lethal. PEDv is almost 100% fatal in pigs less than three weeks old, but not for humans. The virus only affects pigs, and poses no health risk to humans or other animals.
Farmers, veterinarians, and pork organisations are trying to find a vaccine against PEDv. The National Pork Board has already spent US$1.1 million on research to understand how the virus works and how to stop it.
In the meantime, farmers are stepping up biosecurity. This means imposing stricter standards for cleanliness on hog farms. Some farmers require workers to change their clothes when entering and leaving barns, while others have banned outsiders from their property altogether. Farm employees are stocking up on disinfectant, careful not to spread the virus during their daily activities.
The outbreak has sent retail pork prices to record highs. This time last year, pork cost US$3.52 a pound. Now, the meat is selling for US$3.83 a pound, an all-time high for the US. For meat-eating Americans, summer barbecues may be pricier than usual. But don''t worry about chowing down-US pork is still safe to eat.