Significant progress made in research on porcine high fever in China -- April 20, 2007

　　Recently, experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and related units conducted further discussions on the porcine "high fever disease." Experts believe that China has made significant progress in research, diagnostic reagents, vaccine development, and other prevention and control technologies for porcine "high fever disease."

　　In the summer and autumn of 2006, an outbreak of porcine "high fever disease" occurred in some parts of China, causing significant losses to the pig farming industry. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture attached great importance to this issue, promptly deployed prevention and control work, and actively organized the Chinese Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, the China Veterinary Drug Inspection Institute, the China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, and experts from several provinces to conduct epidemiological investigations, pathogen isolation and identification, and animal experiments for technological breakthroughs.

　　According to relevant officials from the Ministry of Agriculture's Veterinary Bureau, it has been confirmed that porcine "high fever disease" is mainly caused by highly pathogenic porcine blue ear disease (a variant strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome). Based on this, significant progress has been made in prevention and control technology.

　　First, the causative agent was identified. Since July 2006, through extensive epidemiological investigations and pathogen isolation and identification, a variant strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (also known as porcine blue ear disease) virus has been isolated. Animal experiments have confirmed that this virus is the main pathogen causing porcine "high fever disease." To distinguish it from general blue ear disease, experts have identified this disease as "highly pathogenic porcine blue ear disease."

　　Second, the development of diagnostic reagents has been successful. The special diagnostic reagent for highly pathogenic porcine blue ear disease virus, developed in November last year, is now widely used in various regions.

　　Third, breakthroughs have been made in vaccine research. To prevent highly pathogenic porcine blue ear disease, the Ministry of Agriculture has organized relevant units to develop an inactivated porcine blue ear disease vaccine, and has expedited the approval process through a green channel, with the vaccine put into use in mid-April. The development of a more targeted inactivated vaccine for highly pathogenic porcine blue ear disease has also made breakthroughs, and it is expected to be put into use in June.

　　By June, "highly pathogenic porcine blue ear disease" will enter its peak season. To prepare for prevention and control work in advance, the Ministry of Agriculture recently issued the "Technical Specifications for the Prevention and Control of Highly Pathogenic Porcine Blue Ear Disease," and simultaneously issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job in Porcine Disease Prevention and Control in 2007," further deploying prevention and control work.