- The New Cases Report for the week of 12/22/2013 will be posted on the AASV PEDv web page on Thursday. 116 new case were added during the week but no new states reported cases. In addition, the NAHLN added 66 new cases to those reported during the week of 12/15/2013 making last week’s total of 185 the highest since beginning of the outbreak.
- Interim analysis of a NC biosecurity questionnaire identifies potential risk factors associated with exposure to PEDv. It should be noted that these data, presented courtesy of Andrea Beam, USDA APHIS Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, are preliminary and will likely change as additional data is collected and analyzed. Below is a table outlining the percentage of case and control herds reporting potential risk factors. Additional preliminary results can be viewed on the University of Minnesota’s Swine Health Monitoring Project web site.
Factor % of case farms with factor % of control farms with factor Borrowed trailers from another swine site in previous 2 weeks 11% 0% Removed cull sows/gilts/boars/pigs in previous 2 weeks 82% 38% Removed weaned pigs to nursery or wean to finish site in previous 2 weeks 89% 42% Poducer/family worked off farm in an abattoir or other swine farm 37% 17% Poducer/family worked off farm in another area of the swine industry (e.g., feed mill) 11% 0% Dead haul/renderer visited site to pick up dead pigs in previous 2 weeks 93% 57% Wild birds were seen in pig/hog buildings in previous 2 weeks 18% 4% Other wildlife was seen in pig/hog buildings in previous 2 weeks (e.g., rats, mice, raccoons) 89% 59% Had a moderate or severe problem with birds (e.g., buzzards) in previous 2 weeks 29% 13% Delivered pigs to communal carcass drop-off spot in previous 2 weeks 11% 38% - The PEDv Strategic Task Force has recommended that everyone consider the Good Neighbor Policy when possible with regards to placing PEDv positive pigs. This includes trying to find a site that minimizes the risk of exposure to neighbors with susceptible pigs and communicating with your neighbors if it is necessary to place positive pigs in close proximity to other pigs. It should be noted that, even though clinical signs resolve fairly quickly, pigs may shed virus for 40 – 60 days post-infection. A model for this suggestion is the recommendations proposed by the Indiana Board of Animal Health regarding PRRS positive pig placement. We have posted these recommendations on the AASV PRRS web page
- The PEDv Strategic Task Force is also exploring the development of a "Rapid Response Team" that could investigate occurrences of emerging diseases such as PED. Dr Angela Baysinger has agreed to help facilitate an investigation into some recent outbreaks in Iowa as a "pilot project" for future response team action.