In the past couple of weeks, cases of Senecavirus A (Seneca Valley Virus or SVV) have been reported in multiple breeding herds in the upper Midwest. Foreign animal disease investigations continue to show the pigs are negative to foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) but positive to Senecavirus A, according to the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV).

Other vesicular diseases such as swine vesicular disease, vesicular exanthema of swine and vesicular stomatitis, have been ruled out as well. Lesions on the snout and coronary band/hoof lesions will be seen on the breeding females and boars. There appears to be a short term (4-10 days) increase in mortality in neonatal piglets (younger than seven days of age) that may or may not have diarrhea associated with it. It is usually upon investigation of the increase in neonatal mortality, that the vesicular lesions in the breeding age animals are noted. Iowa State University researchers and diagnosticians have provided an updated report on the breeding herd cases of Seneca Valley Virus.

Overall, AASV said there has been an increase in the number of cases of SVV diagnosed by the diagnostic labs so far in 2015. This is concerning because officials do not want veterinarians and swine producers to become complacent and start thinking all cases of vesicular lesions in pigs are SVV and forget about FMD. Likewise, AASV wants to ensure that FMD-negative pigs can continue to move unimpeded.

AASV reminds members that if they see vesicles in pigs, they should assume it could be FMD and contact the state or federal animal health official (see Procedures to Report a Suspected FAD on the AASV website under the Publications tab).  Do not transport animals with vesicles.

AASV is working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, researchers and diagnosticians to develop recommendations for responding to future cases of vesicular lesions in pigs. Iowa State and the University of Minnesota are conducting retrospective polymerase-chain reaction testing of oral fluid samples to provide some insight into the possible distribution of previously undiagnosed SVV-positive samples.