Australia free from PMWS

10 November 2005

DAFF05/9D

Australia is free from the pig disease Post-Weaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) after veterinary authorities gave the all-clear to a South Australian pig herd.

Australian Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Bob Biddle said the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (CCEAD) met on 28 October to consider ongoing disease investigations on the South Australian property.

“CCEAD concluded PMWS does not exist in the pig herd,” Dr Biddle said.  “It agreed the mortalities on the farm were caused by a range of endemic diseases, triggered by altered management practices.”

Dr Biddle said diagnosis of PMWS is complex and the syndrome is considered to be caused by a number of factors.  

Diagnosis of PMWS requires clinical disease with consistent microscopic changes in animal tissues and the presence of porcine circovirus type 2.  The clinical evidence was not consistent with the diagnosis of PMWS so the disease has been ruled out”, Dr Biddle said.

“There was no evidence of wasting in growing pigs.  After changing the management practices at the piggery and controlling the bacterial infections with antibiotics, mortality rates quickly dropped to very low levels.

“In countries where PMWS occurs, rapid response to improved management practices is not a characteristic of PMWS.”

Dr Biddle said PMWS has not been previously reported in Australia.  He stressed the syndrome only affected pigs and is not a public health concern.  Pork and pork products are safe to eat. Previous import controls on pig meat remain in place.

“To date there has been no impact on export markets as a result of this investigation and Australian authorities are working to ensure this remains the case,” Dr Biddle said.  

The National Management Group (NMG) of CEOs from Australian agriculture departments and the peak industry body endorsed the CCEAD’s decision. 

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