Abstract

With an estimated yield of 1.17 × 10 ¹² kg in 2012 (Source: FAO Food Outlook), pork provides, after fish, the second largest source of animal protein worldwide. Main producing nations are China (46%), the United States (9.5%), and Germany (5.2%). As pork production increasingly occurs in large pig holdings, infection with devastating pathogens is becoming an imminent risk. The “big” OIE listed, notifiable viral epidemics in swine are food and mouth disease (FMD), Aujeszky’s disease (or pseudorabies), and classical swine fever (CSF). Of increasing importance are porcine reproductive and respiratory disease (PRRS) and African swine fever (ASF).