World Organisation for Animal Health
Porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED), also occasionally referred to as porcine epidemic diarrhoea syndrome, is a non-zoonotic viral disease of pigs caused by a coronavirus and characterised by watery diarrhoea and weight loss. It was first identified and reported in 1971 but has now been diagnosed in naïve swine populations in countries previously not known to be affected by the disease. It affects pigs of all ages, but most severely neonatal piglets, reaching a morbidity and mortality of up to 100% with mortality decreasing as age increases. It is a contagious disease transmissible mainly by the faecal-oral route. The disease is clinically similar to other forms of porcine gastroenteritis including anorexia, vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration. The prevention and management control are focused on strict biosecurity and early detection. There is no specific treatment for the disease.
PED does not meet the criteria to be included as a WOAH Listed Disease, however it is considered to be a swine disease of concern in Asia and the Pacific region and consistent with the reporting obligations of Members outlined in Article 1.1.4 of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code relating to emerging diseases. There has been an increase in the number of disease notifications received by and distributed through the OIE’s World Animal Health Information System in recent years.
PED is a contagious viral disease of pigs caused by a coronavirus with clinical signs similar to other diseases causing porcine gastroenteritis. In countries/territories where the disease is endemic, the impact is reported to be low. However, PED can cause high morbidity and mortality in populations newly exposed to the virus, and hence, outbreaks in naïve populations can result in significant losses and economic impacts. There have been increased occurrences described in newly infected countries since 2011, with a rise in the number of cases in 2013 and 2014, notably, in the USA, in Canada, Japan, Mexico and Chinese Taipei.
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