Seneca Valley Virus is a disease that circulates among the pig population. There is little information known about this disease, but the common clinical signs associated with the disease are blisters or erosions on the pig's snout, mouth or feet.

Seneca Valley Virus (SVV) is a disease circulating in pigs. The clinical signs associated with SVV in pigs include vesicles (blisters) or erosions (results of ruptured vesicles) on a pig’s snout, mouth, or feet where the hoof meets the skin. There have been reports of unexplained lameness, off-feed events and diarrhea in piglets prior to the emergence of vesicles or erosions in groups of pigs.

The clinical signs related to SVV cannot be distinguished from vesicular foreign animal diseases (FADs) including foot-and-mouth disease, vesicular stomatitis, and swine vesicular disease, which are reportable trade-limiting FADs in pigs. Any time these clinical signs are observed in pigs it is imperative that the state animal health official is notified immediately either directly or through the herd veterinarian so they can initiate an investigation to confirm that the clinical signs are not caused by a FAD. DCPAH has provided diagnostic results for Foot and Mouth Disease within a 24 hour turnover. 

Presently there is little known about this disease or how it spreads, prevention methods, control measures, disease entry, treatment, or effective vaccine. An increase in reporting will help to develop the tools needed to mitigate the effects of the disease. 

If you see these lesions on the feet, coronary band, or the snout of pigs, please contact Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) at 800-292-3939 or after hours at 517-373-0440.

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Photo Credit: Iowa State Univiersity Extension 

 Producer roles and responsibilities:

  • Do not move animals that are ill or exhibiting clinical signs including clinically active lesions
  • If possible, segregate/isolate affected animals on the site
  • Document movements leading up to and immediately surrounding the onset of clinical signs as the information may be useful in disease analysis or the FAD investigation
  • Cooperate with sample collection and submission as part of the FAD investigation under the direction of a state or federal animal health official 

Herd veterinarian roles and responsibilities:

  • Intensive observation for gross lesions and clinical signs in pigs
    • Upon encountering a suspect case in finishing pigs or sows, the veterinarian should
      1) Stay at the site, 2) Stop all people, vehicular and animal movements, 3) Call the state 800-292-3939 or after hours at 517-373-0440 or federal animal disease control officials and follow their instructions.

The industry is working to expedite diagnostic information to separate SVV from FAD.

Once a FAD has been ruled out as a disease: 

  • As with any clinically sick animal, SVV positive pigs exhibiting clinically active disease should not be shipped to slaughter
    • If you are unsure that your pigs are healing or healed, consult with your herd veterinarian
    • If lesions are not completely healed but the clinical signs have resolved, communication with the slaughter plant should be initiated before shipping.
      • Communication among the slaughter plant, the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) and the state animal health official will confirm the qualification for accepting the pigs at the plant
      • FSIS is currently determining the necessary documentation to verify that the pigs have had a FAD investigation with negative results 

Got vesicles? Report ‘em! MDARD 1-800-292-3939 or after hours at 517-373-0440

Barn-level education for employees to help aid in the recognition and reporting of suspected FADs is available at no charge through the National Pork Board in the form of a FAD Push Pack (Item#:04892) which can be found online or contact Madonna Benjamin at 517-614-8875. 

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