Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Detected in U.S.

May 22, 2013 — 

On May 16, 2013; National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), in close collaboration with Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ISU-VDL), reported that Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) has been detected in the United States. PEDV is a coronavirus associated with outbreaks of diarrhea and vomiting in swine. Prior vaccination for TGE (or, presumably, prior exposure to TGE or respiratory coronavirus) does not infer protection against PEDV. It is not a zoonotic disease, does not affect people, and is not a food safety concern.

Although this is the first known detection in the United States, PED exists in many parts of the world and is not considered a foreign animal disease in the US, but rather a transboundary disease.

We are in contact with the USDA, state animal health officials, National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council. The federal and state animal officials are monitoring the situation. Development of an epidemiological survey instrument has begun. It is expected that herd veterinarians will be actively involved in the information gathering.

Veterinarians should contact a veterinary diagnostic laboratory to determine what samples are preferred for that laboratory. The Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ISUVDL) (http://vetmed.iastate.edu/vdpam/disease-topics/porcine-epidemic-diarrhea-ped-diagnostic-testing) is well prepared to diagnose PED and other pathogens that may mimic PED. Currently, testing capacity to detect PEDV is limited so turn-around times on testing will be slower than typical for routine testing at ISUVDL. However, high capacity PEDV tests are currently being developed and will soon be implemented. In general, desired samples are live pigs in acute stages of disease, several segments of fresh and formalin fixed small intestine and colon from several pigs euthanized in the acute stage of disease, fresh feces from acutely affected pigs, and tissue from a variety of other organs as appropriate.

We have posted a short fact sheet about the disease (including links to pertinent publications) on the AASV website (https://www.aasv.org/aasv%20website/Resources/Diseases/PEDAASVQuickFacts.pdf) and an update on detection in the U.S (http://www.aasv.org/members/only/PED/PEDDetectioninUSSwine05172013.pdf).

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.