December 3, 2013
Dominican Republic continues ban on US pig due to PEDv
Due to the presence of the porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDv), the Directorate General of the Authority for Livestock Husbandry of the Dominican Republic has reported that the ban on imports of live pigs from the US is to be maintained.
It has also been reported that local farms have increased biosecurity measures and pork producers have heightened protection and surveillance throughout.
The official also added that PED virus is a disease caused by a coronavirus that leads to passage of watery stool and vomiting in pigs and these signs are usually observed in new-borns until two weeks of age as well as in the mothers of these piglets.
He argued that the pathology is characteristic of pigs and is not transmitted to humans and that the infection in pigs occurs only when they come into contact with other affected animals or through fomites (shoes, tyres, clothing etc.) that are contaminated by the virus.
The Dominican Republic''s Ministry of Agriculture has banned imports of live hogs into the country since the diagnosis of PEDin the US in May 2013.
The agricultural official said that complaints were received on November 12 about vomiting and diarrhoea in piglets at farms in the township of Cayetano Germosén, Espaillat province, and the animal health authorities proceeded to do some research to determine probable causes of the problem.
Samples were then sent to Central Veterinary Laboratory (LAVECEN) as well as to the National Laboratory Service (NLS) in Ames, Iowa, and the results are still pending.
Producers were advised to implement strict biosecurity measures and mobilisation of pigsexclusively to slaughter as well as washing and disinfecting transport units and animal feed.