A Tillsonburg based swine veterinarian credits quick action taken by pork producers, veterinarians and epidemiologists when PED was first identified in Ontario for the high level of success in containing the spread of the virus.
“Lessons Learned From PEDv” was discussed earlier this month in Winnipeg as part of the 2015 Manitoba Swine Seminar.
Dr. Sue Burlatshenko, with Goshen Ridge Veterinary Services in Tillsonburg, the veterinary practice involved in the first diagnosis of the virus in Ontario in January 2014, says the response was immediate.
There was a group of individual practitioners in Ontario looking at what was happening as more herds were breaking over that first two to three week period and also the epidemiologists with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
They were tracking back every available lead to find out how the virus had actually come into the province and, once it was established fairly quickly that it was believed to be very strongly linked to plasma protein, certainly stopping the feeding of any feed containing plasma protein. But also with that, obviously, the effected farms notifying industry people and service people about what was happening on their farm and everybody taking precautions to try and minimize any transfer of the virus anywhere else and I think they did a great job.
They were taking very stringent precautions of biosecurity, so were their suppliers and then there was a very intense effort in monitoring transportation, obviously trucks to and from the plants, assembly yards so there was a giant sweep if you will of gathering samples and knowledge about PED and where best to address it.
There was a lot of information coming very quickly through and I think that really helped us to get things under control fast.
Dr. Burlatshenko acknowledges, although there is still a large gap in our knowledge when it comes to PED, cleanliness is next to godliness so keep on cleaning and disinfecting.
