First outbreak with chimeric swine enteric coronavirus (SeCoV) on pig farms in Slovakia – lessons to learn

Abstract

This report describes the first disease outbreak caused by chimeric swine enteric coronavirus (SeCoV) on two pig farms in Slovakia in early 2015. The infection was introduced by import of two breeding boars which were placed in provisional quarantine in a unit not strictly separated from other healthy pigs in the same building. Subsequently, loss of appetite and diarrhoea were observed in both boars during the first three days in the isolation unit. The infection gradually spread to the farrowing area and throughout the farm in two weeks and later to another nearby farm. Yellow watery diarrhoea accompanied by dehydration and death was observed in piglets with a mortality ranging from 30 to 35%. In the absence of an available vaccine, the pregnant sows were dosed by mouth with a 10% suspension prepared from the intestine and faeces of infected piglets in warm water. Three weeks after dosing, new litters of piglets were born which remained healthy with no development of diarrhoea.