The first case of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus (PEDv) in Manitoba was confirmed on 13 February on a farm in south-east Manitoba, based on a positive test result from the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, according to the Manitoba Pork Council. The Office of Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) reports there have been no new confirmed cases of PEDv in Manitoba since then.

Approximately 140 industry stakeholders and producers dialed in on 19 February to take part in a PEDv Town Hall meeting. The event allowed producers to hear an update on the Manitoba and Ontario PEDv situation. There are now 23 farm premises that have tested positive for PEDv across Canada, including the Manitoba site.

Guest speakers Dr Glen Duizer (Manitoba Chief Veterinary Office) and Dr Doug MacDougald (South West Ontario Veterinary Services), shared updates on the disease in Manitoba and lessons learned from the Ontario situation.

Ben Keeble from Sunterra Farms (US) spoke about how to stay negative in a positive zone. Sunterra Farms (US) has managed to keep the spread of PEDv down to 14 per cent of their barns despite being situated in heavily infected areas; this proves that good biosecurity can keep this disease out of your barn. To hear the full transcript of the phone-in meeting, click here.

All contacts with the infected Manitoba site have been called to submit samples and so far all contact sites have come back with negative results. Biocontainment is in effect at the infected site and the affected producer remains fully cooperative throughout this process. Manitoba Pork continues to work very hard with the CVO, packers, trucking companies and others to try to contain the disease to the one infected site, to eliminate it there and to keep more of the virus from entering Manitoba.

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) recently started enforcing their existing provision of ensuring that pig trucks coming back from the US be washed and disinfected. If a pig truck arrives at the border without proof of having been properly cleaned first, the CBSA will either not allow the truck in, or the CBSA will seal the trailer with a numbered tag which cannot be broken except at an accredited truck wash in Manitoba. For a current list of accredited truck washes in Manitoba, click here. Adhering to strict washing protocols is essential.

To support ongoing surveillance efforts, the Government of Manitoba has added PEDv to its list of reportable diseases. Producers and veterinarians will now be required to report suspected cases of PEDv to the CVO, allowing for a faster response. This will also allow the CVO to use additional measures to monitor farms linked to positive premises.

It is noted that one lot of spray-dried porcine plasma used by a feed supplier in Ontario has tested positive for PED viral DNA. Subsequently, this product was shown to be able to infect pigs. Alternatives to the use of porcine blood products in feed exist; we recommend that producers speak with their veterinarians and feed suppliers about the use and source of these products

All producers are reminded to continue with the necessary biosecurity protocols to prevent the spread of PEDv and report suspected cases to their veterinarian as soon as possible.

Reporting on current monitoring for PED virus and PED in Ontario, Ontario Pork commented that the best surveillance data comes from the major processors. Their help is greatly appreciated. This system is the result of work by OMAF, private veterinarians and our packers that market about 85 per cent of Ontario hogs each week.

To date, only five per cent of the 721 trailers tested have been positive for PED virus, and all Ontario trailers monitored that delivered market hogs to Quebec have been negative. Positive trailer results could occur as a result of cross-contamination, hogs from already known positive farms, and other unconfirmed farms with mild PED infections. So far, trace-backs on these positive trailers have not uncovered any new serious PED virus infections on farms. This level of monitoring for PED virus indicates the disease is not rampant across Ontario.

PED is an emerging disease that veterinarians must report to OMAF under the Animal Health Act. To date the rate of new cases remains very low – less than one case per day. This is different from what was observed in the US. OMAF and private veterinarians, Ontario Pork and many individuals in the swine sector are working hard to keep it that way.

Working with their veterinarians, the original case farms continue to successfully manage this serious disease. Some farms are again farrowing healthy piglets.

The outbreak data continue to appear to implicate two significant factors:

1. breaks in farm biosecurity and
2. exposure to some feed ingredients of swine origin.

It is important to consult your feed company and your veterinarian to minimise any impact from BOTH of these potential risk factors on your farm.

Further Reading

Find out more information on PED by clicking here.