Mexico: the PED cases represent less than 1% of the national pig herd

After the detection of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) in US in May 2013, the SAGARPA implemented several measures, and among them we must highlight the restrictions to the importation of breeding pigs from US.

According to the SAGARPA, on the Mexican farms in which PED cases have appeared, the number of positive samples represents the 0.00005% (less than 1%) with respect to the approximately 16 million pig heads in the national pig herd. Swine production has not been affected by this disease, because it grows by 1.6% per year.

The producers and the health authorities are permanently coordinated so, through the epidemiologic surveillance, the outbreaks are detected early on and they are tackled appropriately with the aim of avoiding that the PED could mean a problem for the national pig production.

Among the preventive actions started by the SENASICA, we must highlight:

• The epidemiologic surveillance has been increased in the swine producing areas.
• The Swine Health Technical Group has been created, in coordination with pig producers' organisations, in order to duly detect outbreaks that appear in Mexico and to monitor the prevention and control measures against PED.
• The Quick Guide for the Epidemiologic Surveillance of this disease has been handed out.
• The official diagnosis has been reinforced by means of molecular biology techniques.
• The promotion among the farmers for the reporting of suspicious cases has been intensified.
• It has been recommended that the farmers increase the biosafety measures and the controls on the pig farms.