April 6, 2007

Porcine circovirus-linked diseases threaten US pork industry

Porcine circovirus associated diseases, or PCVAD, have the potential to seriously impact US pork production, said Dr Paul Sundberg, Vice President of Science and Technology for the National Pork Board.

Sundberg warned that PCVAD can devastate finisher inventories with high mortality rates between 20 and 40 percent.

While hog producers are familiar with porcine circovirus, Sundberg expressed grave concern that there are still no clear answers as to why or how the virus is linked to the new cluster of hog diseases.

Sundberg acknowledged that the virus's epidemiology needed further study to provide explanations regarding its mode of transmission between pigs and its interaction with the pig or other viruses and bacteria.