A field approach to eradication of porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus in a breeding pig farm: A case-control study

Severe outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) have continued to re-emerge worldwide. Because of the high mortality rate of suckling piglets in PEDV outbreaks, the disease causes significant economic losses in the pig industry. The limited pre-existing immunity against this virus is thought to cause an explosive increase in infection in pig farms. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical symptoms of PEDV after intentional exposure (feedback). During the first few days of the outbreak in a breeding pig farm, 14 sows showed watery diarrhoea, and the disease subsequently spread rapidly throughout the barn. Pigs that were intentionally exposed to PEDV (n=251) showed watery diarrhoea (46.6%), reduced appetite (17.5%), and vomiting (6.0%). However, 75 exposed pigs (29.9%) showed no clinical signs of disease. Four weeks after the feedback challenge, 34 sows gave birth to litters of piglets, which survived with no diarrhoea. Five weeks after the start of the outbreak, PEDV was not detected in any of the examined samples, including environmental swabs. Thus, early diagnosis, prompt establishment of herd immunity, and strict application of biosecurity are good practices to reduce the mortality rates among new-born piglets and control economic losses in pig farms showing PEDV outbreaks.