(Reuters) — A disinfectant used in the U.S. livestock industry has so far proven ineffective in preventing the spread of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, a study funded by the pork industry has found.
“Our research unfortunately says that Stalosan F, given the conditions in which we tested it, was not effective in killing the PED virus,” said Tom Sundberg, vice-president of science and technology at the National Pork Board.
The hog industry continues to fund research to find ways to curb the spread of the virus. The number of confirmed PEDv cases totalled 1,764 across 20 states in the middle of last month, according to data from the USDA’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Each case could represent hundreds to thousands of hogs.
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The pork board funded the study at Iowa State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to determine if the Stalosan F disinfectant could kill the PEDv in commercial hog trailers when used alone.
Vitfoss, the Danish agricultural supplement producer which makes Stalosan F, cautioned that disinfectants alone are not enough to kill viruses when fecal matter is present.
“It is my understanding that in order for biosecurity to be efficient, transport trailers are (to be) cleaned, washed and disinfected between each destination and that this is done at secure and clean wash bays away from any livestock or slaughter facilities,” said Stalosan spokesperson Lars O. Madsen.
Sundberg said the industry needs alternatives.
“We are moving thousands of pigs each day in the industry and the time it would take to do that to every trailer makes that an impossible thing to do in order to stem the risk of PEDv.”
He said Stalosan F disinfectant was shown in Canadian research to be effective on different surfaces in killing porcine reproductive and respiratory virus.
The highly transmissible PED virus was seen for the first time in the United States in April. It can be transmitted through contaminated pig feces on pigs, trucks, boots and clothing.
PED causes diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration in hogs and can kill pigs, particularly baby pigs whose immune system can be weak. PED is not harmful to humans nor is it transmissible through pork. It has occurred in Europe and Asia, but this is the first year that it has been seen in the U.S.
