In a blow to efforts to stop a deadly virus that has wiped out 10 percent of the U.S. hog population, an Indiana farm has confirmed being re-infected with PEDv.
PEDv, or Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus, has killed 7 million pigs and driven pork prices to record highs since first being found in the United States a year ago. The disease is almost always fatal to baby piglets.
Matt Ackerman, a veterinarian in southeastern Indiana confirmed the re-infection but declined to name the farm. The confirmation is a blow to containment efforts because federal and state officials had been working from the assumption when a pig was infected it would develop an immunity for a number of years.
Rumors had been spreading that the assumption was faulty and up to 30 percent of farms were seeing second outbreaks but the Indiana case is the first one officially confirmed by government officials. The virus was also confirmed to be the same exact strain of the virus as the previous infection.
The virus is known to spread through pig manure and can transmit from farm to farm on trucks. Veterinarians are now examining if the virus can spread through animal feed.
The outbreak is likely to cause even more reduction in the U.S. hog population and further drive up pork prices.