Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Iowa State University vet identifies virus with in pigs with symptoms similar to polio

Discovery was made by Paulo Arruda and other scientists

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

A team of scientists, led by a veterinary researcher at Iowa State University, has discovered a virus in the central nervous systems of young pigs with symptoms similar to polio.

Paulo Arruda led other researchers from the University of Minnesota and Kansas State University in studying 11-week old pigs that, as a result of an unknown weakness, were unable to walk.

The team discovered microscopic lesions on the pigs’ central nervous systems. The lesions contained a sapelovirus. This virus is common in pigs, but the strain found in this particular research was different than the strain typically found.

“We’re collecting evidence, sort of like in a forensic investigation,” Arruda said in a release. “But we still have a lot of questions that need to be answered about this virus.”

Arruda said the researchers aren’t sure the virus is responsible for the lesions and a lack of scientific evidence makes it difficult to understand how widely it can spread.

Arruda also said hog farms dealing with the disease could lose up to two per cent of their livestock, but there’s no evidence the virus makes pork unsafe for human consumption.


Trending Video

A new era in biostimulants and bionutritionals

Video: A new era in biostimulants and bionutritionals


In response to the growing need for efficient, effective biosolutions, HGS BioScience continues to expand its footprint in the bionutritional and biostimulant market with the acquisition of NutriAg, Ltd. The Paine Schwartz Partners-backed HGS BioScience is a global leader in humic and fulvic acid products. Toronto-based NutriAg is an innovator in bionutritional technologies with a deep R&D engine. North American growers and retailers will benefit from:

• Solutions across the biostimulant spectrum - including humics, fulvics, bionutritionals, carbohydrate chelation, amino acids, plant and seaweed extracts, and microbial technologies.
• A portfolio and R&D pipeline of science-backed solutions proven to drive crop productivity and farm profitability.
• Actionable nutrient insights and recommendations based on data specific to their farm and cropping goals with the NutriAnalytics platform