The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine has developed a swine herd surveillance test that has the ability to test the immunity of pigs to porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. This is the first announced PEDV swine herd surveillance test in the U.S. Michael Murtaugh runs the lab that developed the test. He notes pigs can get diarrhea diseases for several reasons – so this test diagnoses the causative agent responsible. The test can track whether sow immunity is passed on to piglets, which pigs are most vulnerable to the disease and whether any vaccinations are effective. It can also identify pigs that have been exposed to PEDV – even if they aren’t showing any symptoms. Dr. Lisa Becton with the National Pork Board says the availability of the test is a positive step forward in understanding how the disease operates. She says it’s a great tool to have in the toolbox as the industry continues to learn how to better manage and contain PEDV. This surveillance test – together with the diagnostic test released in the summer – brings PEDV testing abilities up to swine industry disease monitoring standards.
Producers interested in testing their pigs for PEDV should visit the University of Minnesota lab’s website at vdl dot umn dot edu (www.vdl.umn.edu).
Source: NAFB News Service