PMWS disease scare for Australian pork industry

AUSTRALIA - The Department of Agriculture is conducting investigations into two suspected cases of the pig disease post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome or PMWS.

Australia has never had the disease, but authorities are suspicious of two samples taken from piggeries in South Australia and New South Wales.

One month ago the Federal Court ordered the Director of Quarantine against issuing new permits from the United States for one importer, because of fears it could lead to an outbreak of PMWS. Australian Pork Limited is now pushing for all import permits to be revoked.

The outbreak is still unconfirmed, but Australia's Chief Vet, Dr Gardner Murray, wont say why PMWS is being considered, or how the disease could have come to Australia; "The issue really isn't one of immediacy. The disease isn't a rapidly spreading disease like foot-and-mouth disease. It moves rather slowly, and the fact that the herds are under movement restrictions means that we have time to consider, in the most comprehensive way, the particular aspects of a potential disease".

He says preliminary results should be available a couple of days.

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Source: ABC Rural

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