Mexico Steps up Measures to Keep out PEDV

MEXICO - The Ministry of Agriculture is stepping up biosecurity to ensure that porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) does not enter the country.
calendar icon 28 June 2013
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Through the animal health authority, SENASICA, Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA) is restricting the import of live pigs from the US and raising the level of surveillance.

SENASICA has not detected the presence of the virus in Mexico.

Following confirmation from the USDA of the presence of PEDV in that country, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock , Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) has taken various measures to protect the Mexican swine and prevent entry of the disease into the country:

  1. Restricted imports of live pigs or standing from the US in order to check on a case-by-case basis as well as health guarantees.
  2. The National Service of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) has asked the USDA to submit technical information on the outbreak and control measures that apply, as well as risk mitigation for exports.
  3. Border surveillance has been stepped up in hog-producing areas, in order to identify abnormal increase in pig mortality.

In case of acute disease, it is very unlikely that PEDV is involved in pigs imported before 17 May 2013 but they should be quarantined and subject to extreme vigilance.

Since May, SENASICA technicians have been investigating the large number of pigs imported over the last three months - before the first report of PEDV is the US - but to date, there have been no cases of the disease in Mexico.

The head of SAGARPA, Enrique Martinez y Martinez, says that SENASICA has maintained communication with the USDA over epidemiological research and with Mexican pork producers to coordinate prevention activities.

PED is very similar to transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) in pigs, which is a common disease in these animals. Only laboratory tests can differentiate between the pathogens, although PED is more severe in newborn piglets.

PED transmission occurs through the introduction of infected animals or contaminated equipment, so it is important that producers impose good biosecurity on their units in order to prevent the entry of this and other diseases.

Further Reading

Find out more information on porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) by clicking here.

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