Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 3/3/14


Tests conducted in the U.S. and Canada on animal feed have determined that even when the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) is present, it may not infect the animals that eat it, according to summaries of the results available from USDA and the University of Minnesota.

Last month, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced it was conducting tests to determine if food made by an Ontario-based company may be a contributing factor in the spread of PEDv. The feed included blood plasma containing the virus.
The CFIA has not reported official results of its tests, and inquiries to the agency’s spokespeople were referred to its website. However, a summary published by the USDA, dated Feb. 21, says that CFIA has conducted preliminary tests with five samples of complete feed and five samples of porcine plasma alone. All of the feed samples tested positive for the presence of PEDv using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.

When fed to piglets, the USDA report says, those animals fed complete feed did not appear to produce the virus at all. Those that were fed only porcine plasma did have PEDv present, although only “a couple of pigs” actually became ill with “a little diarrhea” out of 12 tested. However, “These results are preliminary as the groups will continue to be followed and tested for antibodies in coming weeks,” the USDA report said.

Meanwhile, the USDA fed four different samples of feed that had tested positive for the presence of PEDv to 10-day-old piglets for three to six days each. The animals were fed by gavage, and in addition some were fed the feed samples as daily ration. None of the animals tested positive for live PED virus, the USDA concluded.

Finally, research conducted at the University of Minnesota showed that feed samples that had tested positive for PEDv genetic material by the PCR method seemed to inoculate the piglets, and they did not become ill. “The results from this bioassay indicate that feed can contain PEDV genetic material that is detectable by PCR but is not infectious.”

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