http://www.farmscape.com/f2ShowScript.aspx?RS
Year: 2014
Veterinarians On Call
Ice cream and clean air for pig herd at Ness Farms
Can EPI Air help in the control of PED virus?
It’s well known that PEDV (porcine epidemic diarrhea virus) is transmitted by fecal contact. However, in situations where producers have high biosecurity standards, PEDV breaks can still take place…why is this happening? Could PEDV also be airborne?
That question challenged the combined minds of University of Minnesota Swine Disease Eradication Center scientists Carmen Alonso, Montserrat Torremorell, Peter Raynor, Dane Goede, and Peter Davies. In March, 2014 the team documented and released information confirming that PEDV can be airborne and infectious when airborne.
This same team was already working on air decontamination technologies to reduce the load of influenza and PRRS viruses from the air and they expanded the study to include PEDV.
With funding by the UMN College of Veterinary Medicine, the National Pork Board, and the Swine Disease Eradication Center, this research team established a singular objective: To quantify the impact of the EPI technology at removing PRRS, influenza and PED viruses from aerosols generated by experimentally infected pigs.
Their testing methods involved collecting air samples for 24 days from an environment where 6-week-old pigs had been inoculated with influenza, PRRSV and PEDV. The researchers measured total airborne particles, total airborne viruses and virus particles as a function of size with the EPI system both on and off.
With data just released May 28, 2014, this team shared these conclusions:
◦The EPI system was effective at reducing influenza, PRRSV and PEDV from the air.
◦There was a reduction of 1 to 2 logs of RNA viral particles from the air.
Summed up Dr. Torremorell, “Despite the fecal-oral route of transmission, viable PEDV can be found in the air of infected environments. Strategies for preventing the airborne transmission of PEDV should be considered as part of comprehensive biosecurity and disease control programs.”
Commented Matt Baumgartner, General Manager, BEI Inc., the Olivia, MN firm that markets EPI Air technology, “We’re excited. Our ‘clean air’ technology for dust control is convincingly being accepted by some of the bigger hog producers in our country because of a quick return on investment. Now producers can also strategically employ EPI Air technology to take biosecurity to the next level at no additional cost. When you add to that the cleaner air environment for people in the barn you have a big win-win-win.”
BEI officials will display their clean air technology at June 4-5-6 World Pork Expo. For immediate contact go: www.epiair.com
U of M research shows PEDV is airborne and infectious
Written by Dr. Montserrat Torremorell
Is PED virus airborne and infectious?
A completed study at the University of Minnesota shows PED virus can be airborne and infectious while airborne.
Pigs weighing about 16kg each were experimentally infected with PEDV. Air samples collected 1 to 3 days post infection tested positive for PEDV and had between 1.00E+7 to 1.00E+8 of PEDV RNA copies per cubic meter (m3) of air. PCR Ct values ranged between 22.66 and 26.31. Both Cyclonic and Anderson air collection instruments confirmed airborne PEDV from experimentally infected pigs. Virus was found on all measured particle sizes, but predominantly in larger size particles.
Air samples were also tested to determine whether they were infectious. Sentinel pigs were inoculated with the positive air samples and all inoculated pigs developed PED disease and tested positive for PEDV demonstrating the presence of live virus.
These findings indicate that viable PEDV can be found in air samples collected from contaminated environments. Strategies for preventing the airborne transmission of PEDV should be considered as part of a comprehensive biosecurity and disease control program.
Work is in progress to determine strategies, such as the use of ionization, to decrease the presence of PEDV from the air.
EPI – On the Air with Joe Gill
KASM Farm Director Joe Gill recently interviewed Matthew Baumgartner. This interview was aired on 1150 AM Radio.
EPI – On the Air with Mike Murphy
Fairmont, MN radio station KSUM/KFMC interviewed Matthew Baumgartner of BEI at the MN Pork Congress. Listen to the interview here:
Stopping Dirty Air May Stymie PRRS
National Hog Farmer
November 15, 2013
By Joe Vansickle
Preliminary results using cleaning technology in barns show promise.
Minnesota swine veterinarian Gil Patterson looks for three things when he walks into a hog barn: feed, water and air quality.
“You’ve got to have those things right before you can really dig into other issues. If there is a dusty, poorly ventilated environment, then it is uncomfortable for both pigs and farm employees, often leading to reduced growth and poorer-quality chores,” says the St. Peter, MN, Swine Vet Center clinician.
Continue reading: