PED Elimination Efforts in Manitoba Attracting International Interest

Sep 08, 2025

The Director of Swine Health with Manitoba Pork says the success of efforts to control Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea in Manitoba is drawing international attention.Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea, a viral gastrointestinal infection that affects all types of pigs with the most devastating impact on newly born piglets, was first introduced into the United States in 2013 and in Canada, specifically in Manitoba, in 2014.Jenelle Hamblin, the Director of Swine Health with Manitoba Pork, says, since the introduction of Manitoba's PED elimination plan in the spring of 2023, numbers of cases have declined.

Quote-Jenelle Hamblin-Manitoba Pork:

We have seen three large scale outbreaks of PED in Manitoba but, as I mentioned, our first cases were back in 2014.We did see cases through 14, 15 and 16 however they were numbers less than 10, total across those three years.In 2017 is when we saw our largest outbreak to date at that point, 80 cases overall.Year over year we did see ups and downs, a roller coaster as I like to call it, through 2018 and then another large outbreak in 2019 with 82 cases, a quieter year in 2020.

Of course, the pandemic was at play there and there wasn't a lot of people moving at that point.You don't move people; you don't move disease.Then in 21, 22, that was our largest outbreak of PED that we've seen to date totalling over 120 cases in that time frame.Since then, I'm happy to report that PED cases have been on the decline.

2023, 2024 and 2025 we've been back to single digit numbers of PED since that large outbreak in 2022 when throughout 22-23 is when we got to work in putting our heads together and building how we're going to move forward with PED from that large scale outbreak.

Hamblin says we have seen a quieter year on the health front generally in Manitoba and veterinarians have been reporting regular or lower incidences of other diseases.As well, she says, there has been a lot of outreach from other jurisdictions on what's being done in Manitoba related to PED, particularly from the United States.

Source : Farmscape.ca

Video: Five Confirmed New World Screwworm Cases Raise Alarm for Livestock and Pet Owners

Pat Hoffmann, Swine Technical Consultant at Elanco Animal Health tells us about the impact of New World Screwworm. The emergence of New World screwworm in the U.S. creates a threat for veterinarians, livestock producers and pet owners that has not been seen north of the Florida Keys since the fly was eradicated from the United States more than 50 years ago. New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) larvae feed on living tissue and can affect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including livestock, companion animals, wildlife, and even humans.
“New World screwworm could have a devastating impact on animal health, welfare, and producer livelihoods,” said Jeff Simmons, President and CEO, Elanco Animal Health. “We want to thank the FDA, EPA and USDA, for all their work to prepare for this threat. We’re committed to supporting our customers during this challenging time by delivering innovation, scientific expertise, and available resources to help treat New World screwworm and support the health and well-being of animals.”
Elanco is working alongside the U.S. animal health industry to help them fight against this parasite, offering a portfolio of options for pets and livestock that can help treat New World screwworm larvae infestations.