Weekly Overview: Chinese Tote Bags Thought to Have Brought PEDv to US
ANALYSIS - An investigation by the USDA has found that Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) may have entered the US through reusable containers used to transport bulk material, such as feed or pet food, from China.
5 October 2015
2 minute read
By: The USDA APHIS investigation into the root cause of the US Swine Enteric Coronavirus Disease (SECD) outbreaks, including PED, which started ravaging pig farms across the country back in 2013, looked at a variety of possible scenarios.
Although the investigation report did not conclude with definite proof for any of the scenarios, a small number of them were deemed plausible.
The most likely scenario is that Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC) coming from China to the US were contaminated with the virus back in China.
It is likely that the virus was then spread onto US farms, as the bags are designed to be reused and may have transported feed or ingredients to a feed mill.
Once the contaminated material reached here, it would be easy for feed destined for farms around the country to become contaminated.
In other disease news, African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks have been reported in Zimbabwean and Estonian pigs.
ASF was also found in more wild boar in Latvia.
There was also an outbreak of classical swine fever in eastern Russia.
