Victor Evert, doctor of veterinary medicine, coordinator of Consultation center of the Ukrainian Pig Producers Association

Oleksiy Sheptuha, doctor of veterinary medicine, pigbreeding consultant

In spring this year laboratories have confirmed several cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in different regions of our country. This news has shocked our pig breeders, as this disease is extremely contagious and massively hit the livestock at lightning speed, causes the 100% mortality of newborn piglets, the outbreak continues for 4-6 weeks. Specialists of Consultation center of the Ukrainian Pig Producers Association told about the case of PED in Ukrainian farm, preventive and treatment methods of this disease.

The history of PED started in mid-2000 in Asian countries (Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand). After almost ten-year-old break, the disease appeared in China, where didn’t quiet down during several years (years 2010-2012).

The first outbreak was registered in the USA on May, 16 2013. Now more than 7000 farms in 30 states are hit: PED became the disaster of national importance. Losses are estimated in 2-3 piglets per sow per year. American scientists established an almost 100% coincidence of American and Chinese virus strains.

PED has never met in Ukraine, but only the «fraternal» coronavirus — vector-borne gastroenteritis in soviet times. Losses were huge, that’s why well-travelled bodies of specialists were created for disease control. Nowadays we also have PED (the first cases were recorded in spring): laboratory studies have confirmed this.

1. Why do the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus is terrible?
2. What are the ways of contamination PED? How to decrease the transmission risk?
3. What are the main clinical signs of the disease?
4. What results of postmortem examination show the porcine epidemic diarrhea?
5. How to fight against the disease?

You can find answers for these and other questions in the full version of the interview in the magazine «Profitable Pig Production», № 3 (21) 2014.