Vaccine for Pig, Hog Virus OKed for Use in NY

News from the state veterinarian Dr. David Smith:

A vaccine has been approved for use in New York state that will help protect swine against the PED (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea) virus.

This will not change the decision to eliminate sow and piglet exhibits at the 2014 State Fair. But it will help swine farmers.

Here is Smith's statement:

“Last month, in an effort to protect the health and safety of animals in our care, we announced The Great New York State Fair would suspend its piglets and sows exhibit for 2014 due to Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus, which has taken a heavy toll on the nation’s hog farmers. 

When sows and litters become infected, PED kills nearly 100 percent of piglets less than 10 days old.  At that time, we stated that a vaccine that effectively induces protective immunity against PED would be a powerful tool in helping swine across New York State overcome this disease.  

Yesterday, the State Department of Agriculture and Markets reached out to Harrisvaccines in order to expedite the approval to use their PED vaccine, Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) Vaccine, RNA, in New York State.  This vaccine is now approved for use in New York under a conditional license from USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics, which assures us of the product’s safety and purity.  

USDA’s conditional license also indicates that there is reasonable expectation that the vaccine does provide some degree of protection against PED. Conditional licensure is reserved for situations in which an animal health emergency exists and serves to shorten the time to get new vaccines to market.  We expect the vaccine to come to market in New York State around mid-July.  

As is the case with any veterinary vaccine or drug, the Department strongly recommends that swine owners consult with their veterinarian to decide whether or not this product is appropriate for their herd and their production practices.

While this vaccine will not change our decision with respect to the piglets and sows exhibit at this year’s State Fair, the state wants swine producers in New York to have every available tool to combat PED. And while it is too early to speculate on how much impact this particular vaccine will have, it does indeed look promising.”