PED virus jumps Red River

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The Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus has appeared west of the Red River for the first time this year.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/06/2019 (1752 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus has appeared west of the Red River for the first time this year.

Manitoba Agriculture’s most recent update on the number of infected premises from June 6 shows that the virus has been found in 19 farms in southeast Manitoba and two in south central Manitoba in the Morris and Lowe Farm area.

However, Manitoba Pork Council’s manager of swine health programs Jenelle Hamblin told The Sun that two additional cases have been discovered in southeast Manitoba since that update.

“This April-to-June time period is when we typically see PED more frequently,” Hamblin said. “That’s when we had the majority of our cases in 2018.” Hamblin said that Manitoba’s first confirmed case this year was found in February.

PED, which is not transmittable to humans or other animals, is usually fatal in young pigs, while older animals can recover. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.

“It does affect them quiet violently,” Hamblin said.

Hamblin said that investigations are still being done by Manitoba Agriculture with assistance from Manitoba Pork to find the vector through which the virus is spreading.

The worst year for cases of PED happened in 2017, when 80 premises were found to be infected. Manitoba Agriculture’s website lists that there were 16 detected cases in the province last year, all in the southeast.

Hamblin said that the first steps producers should take if they suspect PED on their farms are to stop movement in and out of the premises and to call their herd veterinarian. Hamblin also advises that producers be careful when visiting outside facilities like assembly yards, abattoirs and wash facilities.

“Try not to bring any contamination you may come in contact with home,” she said.

Producers can also sign up for Manitoba Pork’s Manitoba Coordinated Disease Response program. This producer-only web portal allows producers to share details of outbreaks like area maps and biosecurity information. Producers must sign a confidentiality agreement and sign up on Manitoba Pork’s website.

PED was first discovered in Manitoba in 2014. Other cases have been previously detected in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. Alberta recorded its first case of PED in January of this year, with four cases in total having been detected in that province.

More information on the current state of the virus in Manitoba as well as tips for maintaining biosecurity on farms can be found on Manitoba Pork’s website. Information can also be found in Manitoba Pork’s “Chop Talk” email newsletter.

» cslark@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @ColinSlark

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