This week, we are sharing a new publication from the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project, led by Dr. Mariana Kikuti, regarding the incidence of Porcine Deltacoronavirus in the United States since 2014. The article is available in open-access on the journal’s website.
Methods
- Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) emerged in Feb 2014 as pig farmers and veterinarians were still learning how to manage PEDv.
- MSHMP database comprises more than 60% of the US breeding herds
- Data from Jan 2015 to Dec 2023 was analyzed
- Farms voluntarily self-reported PDCoV status
- An outbreak was defined by clinical signs and increased mortality in piglets as well as a positive PDCoV PCR from affected piglets
Results
- A total of 244 PDCoV outbreaks have been reported to MSHMP (186 sites from 22 production systems in 16 U.S. states)
- Most sites (140/244) reported only one outbreak
- The interval between outbreaks had a median of 2.11 years for sites with more than one outbreak.
- Most cases were found in the South and the Midwest (as described by the US Census regions)
Abstract
PDCoV, an enveloped RNA virus, causes atrophic enteritis in neonatal piglets, leading to diarrhea, malabsorption, dehydration, and death. The study aims to fill the gap in the current epidemiological information about PDCoV in the U.S. pig population after its emergence in 2014. Data from the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project (MSHMP) between January 2015 and December 2023 were analyzed, representing approximately 60% of the U.S. breeding herd. Participating herds report weekly PDCoV health status. In total, 244 PDCoV outbreaks occurred in 186 sites from 22 production systems across 16 states. Case counts peaked during winter, and incidence ranged from 0.44% in 2017 to 4.28% in 2023. For sites that experienced more than one PDCoV outbreak during the study period, the interval between outbreaks was a median of 2.11 years. The South and Midwest regions reported the majority of cases. In 2017, a shift in the spatial distribution of cases from the Midwest to the South was observed. The findings underscore the importance of continued monitoring and strengthened control measures to mitigate the impact of PDCoV in U.S. breeding herds
