Other Diseases

Swine influenza

Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease in pigs. It is caused by type A influenza viruses of which there are many subtypes including H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2. Swine influenza can cause high levels of illness in pigs though rarely leads to death. Flu season in pigs typically begins in the fall and lasts through the winter months.

Producers and swine veterinarians are very aware of and familiar with how to prevent and respond to swine influenza. Annual flu vaccination for pigs has become common practice in commercial swine herds. Other preventative measures include practicing high levels of biosecurity and quickly segregating and caring for sick animals.

Find out more information on swine influenza here:

Swine influenza factsheet

Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus

First detected in Manitoba in 2019, Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus (Strep zoo) is a bacterial pathogen that has impacted commercial swine herds, assembly, and abattoirs. There are many serotypes of Strep zoo that live normally in animals, never causing disease. However, the strain found in pigs in Manitoba (ST-194) caused severe disease and had devasting impacts. While pigs of all ages are susceptible to Strep zoo, the greatest economic impact is in the sow barn. Practicing good biosecurity is of utmost importance to prevent this terrible bacteria from entering the herd.

Find out more about Strep zoo in the following factsheet:

Strep zoo Factsheet

Senecavirus A / Seneca Valley Virus (SVA)

Senecavirus A is a vesicular disease in swine that causes symptoms similar to reportable, vesicular diseases, such as Foot and Mouth Disease and Swine Vesicular Disease. Although it is not in itself reportable, because it cannot be visually differentiated from the reportable diseases, it is responded to in a similar manner. Any identification of blisters (vesicles) must be reported to your herd vet.

More information on SVA can be found in the following factsheets:

Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV)

PDCoV – formerly referred to as “swine deltacoronavirus (SDCv)” – belongs to the same viral family as porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) and transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE). The symptoms of PDCoV are indistinguishable from those of PED or TGE, although tend to be less severe than PED. PDCoV damages the lining of the gut in swine, causing diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration. It can cause piglet mortality in severe cases, but not to the same extent as that of PED. PDCoV is not a provincially reportable disease in Manitoba.

Find out more about PDCoV here:

Birds can become infected with an avian deltacoronavirus, which is hard to differentiate structurally from the porcine virus. However, many labs across Canada can now perform analyses to differentiate the two. Numerous environmental samples taken from assembly yards in the prairies in 2015/16, which were believed to be PDCoV, were later determined to be the avian virus which does not affect pigs.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS)

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a production-limiting, viral disease that affects swine herds globally. There are many strains of PRRS, the most devastating being highly pathogenic PRRS.

Certain regions are engaged in Area Regional Control & Elimination (ARC&E) projects, which help pork producers and other sector stakeholders collaborate to control and/or eliminate this disease from a region. Those producers wanting to participate in the Manitoba Coordinated Disease Response (MCDR) initiative can fill out the MCDR confidentiality agreement for their farm, which currently covers PED and PRRS, and submit it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The PRRS component of the MCDR is under development at this time.

The Canadian Swine Health Board’s PRRS Regional Control & Elimination Playbook outlines some of the measures that can be taken in regions affected by PRRS, depending on the status of the region.

Swine Health Ontario (SHO) has a number of tools and documents to help pork producers in Ontario establish ARC&E projects.