Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN) Swine Network Quarterly Industry Report

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PEDV) / Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV)

Jessica Fox, Manager at Swine Health Ontario reported the following cases in Q2:

Jessica reported that there has been one additional case in Q3 thus far. It is important to note that most cases are in growing pigs.  It is strongly recommended that producers revisit both on-farm and off-farm (including transportation) biosecurity practices.

The PED and PDCoV tracking map is available at the Swine Health Ontario website and shows current and annual cases by county:  http://www.swinehealthontario.ca/Disease-Information/PED-PDCoV-Tracking-Map

Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Virus (PRRS)

PRRS is still ranked by the majority of responding veterinarians to the OAHN swine clinical impression survey as being very common or common.  In Q2 there were 3 veterinarians that indicated that the success rate of PRRS elimination projects has been decreasing and in general PRRS elimination projects have been more challenging.

Dr. Christine Pelland commented that some of the elimination challenges can be associated with some strains more than others. The 1-8-4 strains that have been clinically significant and have been a problem. Elimination strategies, in farrow-to-wean barns often use a combination of serum exposure and vaccination at the onset of elimination and then front load with gilts. Increasingly veterinarians find that it is taking longer to get to PRRS virus negative processing fluids. The timeline for birth of PRRS virus negative animals post exposure is being pushed out. Previously it was common to find PRRS virus negative pigs at birth starting at 120 days post exposure. It is not uncommon now to find those timelines being pushed out to 150 or 160 days. That extends the whole timeline which historically has involved a 200-day closure. PRRS virus surveillance based on processing fluids can be more variable with several weeks in a row of negatives and then all of a sudden a positive will pop up and then back to negative on the next test.

When processing fluids are testing negative the more intense McRebel procedures can begin. As the 200-day post closure milestone approaches the pigs may test negative for some time and then a PRRSV positive will show up. Why this virus is sequestered at this late stage of the elimination is not known.

Take Home Message:  Producers should be aware that PRRS is still a virus of concern to veterinarians and that the associated timelines for a PRRS virus elimination could take longer than historical averages. 

CanSpotASF Surveillance Update 

Dr. Christa Arsenault provided an update on CanSpotASF activity in Ontario.  CanSpotASF is a risk-based early detection testing program that is available at approved Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network (CAHSN) laboratories, which includes the Animal Health Lab (AHL) in Ontario. The CanSpotASF program is set up with the goal of early detection of ASF.  It is to be used when ASF is not a main rule-out diagnosis and where early clinical signs of ASF could be masked by other routinely diagnosed swine endemic viruses in Canada.  If ASF is suspected on a farm/premise, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) must be notified immediately.

Approved laboratories can now test for ASF.  Until the launch of this program these types of cases have not been tested. CanSpotASF testing is targeted at herds with endemic diseases that could mask ASF and therefore delay detection.  This program works on the premise that early detection if ASF arrives in Canada will in turn limit the spread of this virus, leading to a faster and more efficient outbreak response.  Veterinarians and/or pathologists can initiate ASF rule-out testing for submissions that meet eligibility criteria. 

There are many reasons why not all cases that are deemed eligible for CanSpotASF are tested including, but not limited to the following; missing information on submission form e.g. PID and missing tissues required to test for ASF e.g. spleen must be included.

CanSpotASF Testing Summary

International Disease Topics Of Interest Summary

Dr. Al Scorgie provided a summary on some interesting international disease topics of interest:

Italy Confirms First Case of ASF in Domestic Pigs

A case of ASF in domestic swine was confirmed in Italy on May 06th, 2022.  Two pigs were infected on a small farm of 8 pigs.  This farm was located in a region of Italy that has had 23 cases in wild pigs.  (Pig333.com – 2022/06/10)

Denmark Develops National PRRS Control Plan

The plan will require cooperation between the processors, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, producers and veterinarians.  The goal is to increase the number of PRRS negative farms by mid-2025.  The plan includes the following: all suspected cases of PRRS are to be reported, as of July 01, 2022. Any farms of unknown PRRS status or PRRS-positive must report monthly the presence or absence of clinical signs and by the end of 2022 all farms must declare their status with respect to PRRS antibodies. Also, there will be a penalty for pigs processed from PRRS positive farms.  Danish Crown, which slaughters 70% of Danish pigs, will start making deductions on January 01, 2023.  (Pig333.com – 2022/06/17).

Ontario’s PRRS monitoring continues to be voluntary through the PRRS ARC&E.

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