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| Porcine Myocarditis
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- Porcine Myocarditis
- What is PMC?
- Has PMC been reported or discovered in any other countries?
- Has PMC been reported in other piggeries?
- Are there any human health implications?
- What steps are being taken to control the disease?
- Is it still safe to eat pork products?
- Has the pork industry been informed about PMC?
- Have Australia’s agricultural trading partners been informed about PMC?
- What is the future management strategy for PMC?
Porcine Myocarditis
Department of Primary Industries, NSW Agriculture, the NSW Food Authority and NSW Health have been investigating what appears to be a new disease affecting the mortality of unborn and very young pigs.
The condition has been limited to two piggeries in NSW, owned and operated by the same company. No human health impacts have been identified and the disease is reported to be resolving in the piggeries.
What is PMC?
Porcine Myocarditis (PMC) is a new disease which has been identified at two piggery sites in NSW.
PMC affects unborn piglets and piglets up to five weeks of age, resulting in increased stillbirths and pre-weaning mortalities. Symptoms of PMC are very similar to a common pig-specific infection which does not affect other species. Investigations are focusing on isolating and identifying the cause of PMC.
Has PMC been reported or discovered in any other countries?
PMC is NOT a recognized exotic or introduced disease such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Classical Swine Fever (CSF), Post-Weaning Multi-systemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) or Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).
Has PMC been reported in other piggeries?
PMC has only been identified in two piggeries in NSW, both operated by the same owners.
Are there any human health implications?
There is no evidence of any human health implications. Pork remains safe to eat when properly prepared, processed and cooked. No unusual illnesses have been reported by piggery or other staff working with PMC affected animals or tissues.
What steps are being taken to control the disease?
Movement controls are in place to ensure the disease is not introduced to other farms. Both piggeries are subject to ongoing inspections by key authorities. Comprehensive scientific research is underway to identify the cause of PMC.
Members of the National Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (CCEAD) including independent scientific experts, and State and Commonwealth scientists have been notified and are involved in identifying the cause of PMC, and preventing its introduction to other piggeries.
The NSW Food Authority and NSW Health staff have inspected the affected sites and are regularly reviewing the situation in consultation with NSW Agriculture and piggery management.
Is it still safe to eat pork products?
Authorities have found no human health implications for PMC, and agree pork remains safe to eat when properly prepared, processed and cooked.
Quarantine and inspection measures ensure only healthy pigs are processed for human consumption.
PMC has only been detected in pigs up to five weeks of age and has not been detected in any adult pigs intended for human consumption.
All necessary measures have been taken in accordance with food safety regulations in NSW, in addition to Commonwealth quarantine and inspection programs.
Has the pork industry been informed about PMC?
PMC has been listed as a notifiable disease under the Stock Diseases Act, requiring that Department of Primary Industries be notified of any sign of the disease on any NSW property.
Specialist pig vets are being notified throughout Australia to be alert to any similar signs and know to report these immediately to authorities.
CCEAD members have been kept fully informed of PMC. Members of CCEAD include State and Federal government representatives, as well as industry representatives.
Have Australia’s agricultural trading partners been informed about PMC?
Key pork customers of the piggery both domestically and internationally have been advised as well as veterinarian authorities in key overseas markets.
What is the future management strategy for PMC?
Evidence suggests the syndrome is clearly resolving (ie Production in seven of the eight breeder units on the piggeries has returned to normal and in the remaining unit performance is almost normal).
Strict movement controls remain in place to prevent spread of the disease to other farms or piggeries.
A group of government and industry experts has developed a research program to determine the cause and epidemiology of PMC.
Australian Pork Limited (APL) is currently considering funding additional research into PMC.
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