Since January 2009, a teschovirus PTV-1 serotype, identified by USDA’s Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab at Plum Island, has been circulating in pigs in Haiti.
While the virus does not affect humans, it is causing important losses to Haiti pig producers resulting in acute encephalomyelitis in pigs with an infectivity of 30-40% and a lethality of 40-50% according to field observations. Surviving animals often remain paralyzed.
According to a report from the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the disease is widespread and has reached the border with the Dominican Republic (DR), threatening the DR as well as other countries of the region. The contamination of pigs occurs by ingestion or inhalation of products contaminated by feces, urine or oral secretions of infected animals, the virus being very resistant in the environment.
The DR already reinforced surveillance at borders and a workshop is organized the second week of August to sensitize field agents in charge of Classical Swine Fever to this new threat, with support from Haitian Veterinary officers.
[Editor’s Note: There are 11 serotypes of porcine teschovirus (PTV) recognized most resulting in subclinical or mild disease in pigs (the only known host). Highly virulent strains of PTV-1, however, cause teschovirus encephalomyelitis. Pigs of all ages are susceptible and clinical signs include fever, anorexia, depression and incoordination, followed by painful hypersensitivity, paralysis and death within 3 to 4 days. Muscle tremors, stiffness or rigidity, nystagmus, seizures, changes in or loss of the voice, opisthotonos and clonic spasms of the legs may be seen. Although mild cases may recover, progressive paralysis, beginning in the hindquarters, may be observed in the advanced stages with death in up to 90% of the cases resulting from respiratory paralysis. There are no characteristic gross lesions. Additional information is available from the Center for Food Security & Public Health (CFSPH ) at ISU.]
Source:
CIRAD PIGTrop