Farmscape for July 12, 2021

Next week swine producers will have an opportunity to learn more about a highly pathogenic and transmissible strain of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome.
On July 20 SHIC and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians will offer a webinar focussing on the PRRS 1-4-4 Lineage 1C variant.
Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg says, while there appears to be some decrease in incidence, this infection continues to be of interest domestically and is still an issue that needs to be dealt with in the U.S. Midwest.

Clip-Dr. Paul Sundberg-Swine Health Information Center:
Some of that interest is because of what's perceived to be an increased pathogenicity and I think the reports that I've gotten from the field is that this strain has caused a problem.
There's little doubt that it is different.
It is the same in that it is PRRS but it is different also in that that there is increased pathogenicity at least on these farms.
One of the things that is happening right now is Iowa State is doing some research on purposely infecting some pigs with this particular strain and following them through the infection period to measure the amount of virus that they shed, to watch the disease progression and its transmission.
Hopefully within the next few months we're going to have some objective information about that but I can tell you in the field there isn't any doubt that this virus spreads more quickly and spreads more easily and causes a very severe disease on the farm.

Dr. Sundberg says the July 20th webinar will focus on the distribution of the infection and on investigations that looked at possible pathways of introduction of the virus onto the farm.
He says this virus is easily spread and is capable of getting into high biosecurity farms.
Details on the webinar and a link to register can be found on the Swine Health Information Center web site at swinehealth.org.
For more visit Farmscape.Ca.
Bruce Cochrane.

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