CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Strict quarantine has been imposed in piggeries in San Simon and some parts of Mexico town in this province as Gov. Eddie Panlilio reported yesterday a growing number of pigs dying from an ailment that used to be known as “mystery swine disease”.
Panlilio’s information office cited “cases of unusual deaths and the increase in number of sick pigs in San Simon”, a southern town in this province, as well as in a neighboring barangay in Mexico.
The report said the pigs manifested “diarrhea, inappetence, and vomiting.”
“The observed symptoms are similar to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRSS) disease,” said a report from Panlilio’s office which also noted that at least 112 pigs belonging to 31 backyard pig raisers have already been affected.
Records show that in the United States, PRRS is estimated to cost the pig industry $600 million a year.
Panlilio said the affected areas have already been quarantined. “The sick animals are now being treated and that none is being sold,” he said.
Provincial veterinarians here said, however, there is no cause for alarm, as the PRSS is different from swine flu, although it increases the risk of animals to swine flu. “Visible symptoms of PRRS include high fever, loss of appetite, red skin and diarrhea,” they said.
The provincial veterinary team reported that the deaths of pigs started early last May 1 when one Edwin Canlas, a resident of San Pablo Propio in San Simon, arrived home with two piglets which he received as payment for mattresses he had sold in Pangasinan. One of the piglet died on the same day, while the other one died the following day.
A few months ago, cases of ailing and dying pigs were also reported in Pangasinan amid the rise of the AH1N1 virus, which used to be known as swine flu, in other countries.
The report noted starting May 3 after the deaths of the piglets, other pigs in Canlas’ neighborhood started to get sick after manifesting the same symptoms.
Nine backyard raisers in the barangay later told a team of provincial veterinarians that 25 of their pigs got sick simultaneously after the piglets’ death, six of the animals dying while the pregnant sows experienced abortion.
“The disease then spread to neighboring barangays of San Jose, Sta. Cruz, San Juan, San Pedro Control and San Pedro” in the first half of May, the report added.
By May 15, cases of sick animals were also reported in nearby Barangay San Nicolas in the town of Mexico.
The report said that three days later, 15 more farmers in five other barangays in San Simon reported that an additional 98 pigs also got sick, with four of them dying. In Barangay Sta. Lucia, four sows were noted to have lost appetite all of a sudden.
“Continuous monitoring and inspection in all slaughterhouses by provincial veterinarian through municipal and city agriculture offices are being conducted to prevent the movement of sick animals intended for human consumption. A terminal disinfection drive in the affected areas is being done, as well as a massive province-wide vaccination against PRRS,” Panlilio said.
Apart from the affected areas, provincial veterinarians are also conducting massive anti -PRRS vaccination of pigs in the towns of Guagua, Sta. Rita, Floridablanca, Porac and Lubao where similar pig ailments were reported in 2007.
“To date, a total of 2,440 pigs have already been vaccinated against PRRS,’” Panlilio also said.
A report cited by Panlilio’s office noted that “PRSS is caused by a virus which was first isolated as recently as 1991. The disease syndrome was first recognized in the USA in the mid 1980’s and was called mystery swine disease. It has also been called blue ear disease. PRRS infects all types of herd including high indoor and outdoor stocks, irrespective of size.”
“An outbreak of the reproductive form of PRSS can last between one and four months, depending on the farm and the health of the pigs. However, once it has got into weaning piglets, PRRS can become chronic, resulting in above normal rate of deaths (up to 25 per cent) and increased risk of other diseases including E. coli, Salmonella and swine flu,” the veterinarians said.
Panlilio’s information office cited “cases of unusual deaths and the increase in number of sick pigs in San Simon”, a southern town in this province, as well as in a neighboring barangay in Mexico.
The report said the pigs manifested “diarrhea, inappetence, and vomiting.”
“The observed symptoms are similar to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRSS) disease,” said a report from Panlilio’s office which also noted that at least 112 pigs belonging to 31 backyard pig raisers have already been affected.
Records show that in the United States, PRRS is estimated to cost the pig industry $600 million a year.
Panlilio said the affected areas have already been quarantined. “The sick animals are now being treated and that none is being sold,” he said.
Provincial veterinarians here said, however, there is no cause for alarm, as the PRSS is different from swine flu, although it increases the risk of animals to swine flu. “Visible symptoms of PRRS include high fever, loss of appetite, red skin and diarrhea,” they said.
The provincial veterinary team reported that the deaths of pigs started early last May 1 when one Edwin Canlas, a resident of San Pablo Propio in San Simon, arrived home with two piglets which he received as payment for mattresses he had sold in Pangasinan. One of the piglet died on the same day, while the other one died the following day.
A few months ago, cases of ailing and dying pigs were also reported in Pangasinan amid the rise of the AH1N1 virus, which used to be known as swine flu, in other countries.
The report noted starting May 3 after the deaths of the piglets, other pigs in Canlas’ neighborhood started to get sick after manifesting the same symptoms.
Nine backyard raisers in the barangay later told a team of provincial veterinarians that 25 of their pigs got sick simultaneously after the piglets’ death, six of the animals dying while the pregnant sows experienced abortion.
“The disease then spread to neighboring barangays of San Jose, Sta. Cruz, San Juan, San Pedro Control and San Pedro” in the first half of May, the report added.
By May 15, cases of sick animals were also reported in nearby Barangay San Nicolas in the town of Mexico.
The report said that three days later, 15 more farmers in five other barangays in San Simon reported that an additional 98 pigs also got sick, with four of them dying. In Barangay Sta. Lucia, four sows were noted to have lost appetite all of a sudden.
“Continuous monitoring and inspection in all slaughterhouses by provincial veterinarian through municipal and city agriculture offices are being conducted to prevent the movement of sick animals intended for human consumption. A terminal disinfection drive in the affected areas is being done, as well as a massive province-wide vaccination against PRRS,” Panlilio said.
Apart from the affected areas, provincial veterinarians are also conducting massive anti -PRRS vaccination of pigs in the towns of Guagua, Sta. Rita, Floridablanca, Porac and Lubao where similar pig ailments were reported in 2007.
“To date, a total of 2,440 pigs have already been vaccinated against PRRS,’” Panlilio also said.
A report cited by Panlilio’s office noted that “PRSS is caused by a virus which was first isolated as recently as 1991. The disease syndrome was first recognized in the USA in the mid 1980’s and was called mystery swine disease. It has also been called blue ear disease. PRRS infects all types of herd including high indoor and outdoor stocks, irrespective of size.”
“An outbreak of the reproductive form of PRSS can last between one and four months, depending on the farm and the health of the pigs. However, once it has got into weaning piglets, PRRS can become chronic, resulting in above normal rate of deaths (up to 25 per cent) and increased risk of other diseases including E. coli, Salmonella and swine flu,” the veterinarians said.
