By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
A new test provides a quick way to test for the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in swine herds. University of Minnesota researchers have developed a PEDV rapid detection test that can be used on-farm.
The new test option comes several months after widespread PEDV outbreaks have been confirmed in 16 U.S. states. The virus devastates swine herds, wiping out an average 50 percent of young pigs. Test results are known within 24 hours, which allows hog producers to take the necessary precautions to mitigate the spread.
Researchers have also sequenced DNA of a strain of PEDV, which has been deposited at the GenBank database at the National centre of Biotechnology to assist with continued research on PEDV. The virus poses no risk to human health or food safety.