Sweden hit by ‘blue ear’
Outbreaks of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) have been reported in two Swedish pig farms, according to veterinary officials at the National Board of Agriculture.
About 3,000 pigs were destroyed at a pig farm in the southern province of Skåne when the first outbreak of this serious disease was reported in early June.
Veterinary authorities are unaware of how the farm became contaminated, and say that the pigs did not show any signs or symptoms of contamination.
Later, inspectors discovered another outbreak, approximately 100 km from the first contaminated farm. “We don’t understand where the contamination is coming from and hopefully our investigation will tell,” said Peter Wallgren at the Swedish National Veterinary Institute.
Swedish veterinary authorities are worried that PRRS has spread to more farms in Sweden. “If all the herds that we are testing prove positive for PRRS, the virus has already spread across Sweden,” said Wallgren. Test results are expected later this week.
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