Purdue offers experts on swine PED virus
February 21, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University has experts available who can answer questions from the news media about PEDv, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, in swine. The virus has been spreading in the U.S. and Canada.
Health experts say the virus causes no harm to humans and is not a threat to food safety. But it is deadly to young pigs.
According to the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, based at Purdue, PEDv is a coronavirus genetically and antigenically distinct from the coronavirus of transmissible gastroenteritis, or TGE, common in parts of Asia and Europe. It was first identified in the U.S. in the spring of 2013. PEDv causes TGE-like gastroenteric disease in all age groups of pigs, with neonates and suckling pigs most severely affected.
Following are sources available to reporters:
*Stephen B. Hooser, DVM, director of the ADDL, and professor of toxicology. He can talk about how the ADDL is involved in diagnosing the virus in pigs. 765-494-7440, shooser1@purdue.edu.
* Stephen Lenz, DVM, head of pathology at the ADDL and associate professor of veterinary pathology. He can discuss how the PED virus causes disease in pigs, diagnosing the disease and diagnostic testing. 765-494-7440. slenz@purdue.edu.
* Roman Pogranichniy, DVM, head of the virology section and associate professor of virology. He can talk about the virus itself and diagnostic testing. 765-494-7440, rmp@purdue.edu.
* Darryl Ragland, DVM, associate professor of food animal production medicine. Ragland, also a Purdue Extension veterinarian, can talk about PEDv in swine, how it spreads and how it is affecting Indiana hog producers. 765-494-1209, raglandd@purdue.edu.
* Candace Croney, associate professor of animal sciences and director of the Purdue Center for Animal Welfare Science. She can discuss animal well-being issues. 765-496-6665, ccroney@purdue.edu.
Writer: Keith Robinson, 765-494-2722, robins89@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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