Despite clinical signs and diagnostic confirmation of PEDv, the Philippine government has not yet confirmed that it has a PEDv issue in the country, Harris said.

This lack of recognition is frustrating for some producers and veterinarians but is due in part to politics and trade relations.

"But the more open discussions we have with our trading partners in other countries, the more we get comfortable with finding a solution to the problem," he said.

Joel Harris speaks with ThePigSite about PEDv and what he's seen during his travels around the world talking to swine producers.

The trend of the backyard farmer, although it's still heavy in some countries, is dwindling and he sees investment in larger operations as producers plan for the future.

"Hopefully, we can start to tackle PEDv and some of these other diseases using new technology and get a better handle on this worldwide and not just here in the US," Harris said.

PEDv is a highly contagious swine disease that entered the United States in April 2013 and quickly spread through North America, causing the deaths of millions of piglets and costing the pork industry and consumers hundreds of millions of dollars.

The disease occurs in Europe (first identified in 1971 in Great Britain) and became endemic in Asia in 1982. In 2010, a variant strain was identified on pig farms in China resulting in decreased efficacy of the PED vaccines routinely used in Chinese sow herds and severe disease.