USDA Fighting PED

In response to the significant impact porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine deltacoronavirus are having on U.S. pork producers, the United States Department of Agriculture has announced $26.2 million in funding to combat these diseases. Additionally, USDA issued a Federal Order requiring the reporting of new detections of these viruses to its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or State animal health officials. Dr. Bill Barton, head veterinarian for the State of Idaho: "Porcine epidemic virus, we call it PED for short, is caused by a viral organism very similar to the transmissible gastroenteritis or TGE virus which pig producers have dealt with for many many years. PED is different in that it was first time diagnosed in the US on May 2013. It is very infectious and contagious. Since May, it is now found to be have been in 27 states, those 27 have reported at least one case. It causes severe diarrhea in all ages of pigs but typically only causes high mortality in piglets, pigs that have not yet been weaned. The adults tend to recover from it. We are still learning a lot about the virus because it is new to the US. Is there any potential for a vaccine? They are working on a vaccine but we do not have anything close at this time to my knowledge.