[Swine vesicular disease: threat or challenge for Dutch pig farming?]

Swine vesicular disease (SVD) caused problems in 1993 when it was detected in Dutch pigs in Italy. As a result, the EC took measures against the export of live pigs. In all cases the animals had been retained at an Italian abattoir or farm for three days or more, which is longer than the minimum incubation time. Extensive clinical inspections and serological testing on the farms from where the pigs originated revealed no evidence of SVD infection. Serological testing for SVD of over 1.5 million blood samples collected from herds within the framework of export- and herd certification, and the testing of slaughter sows and slaughter boars (EC directive), was negative as well. In view of these results it has to be assumed that the Dutch pig population is free from SVD and that the pigs were infected in Italy. However, a complaint from Italy in 1994 led to the detection of two SVD virus-contaminated export collection centres. If the existing regulations on the cleansing and disinfection of the transport chains are stringently enforced and implementation of the rules is continuously supervised, then it may be expected that the problems have been overcome.