Symptom Identification and Integrated Prevention and Control of Porcine Transmissible Gastroenteritis

Porcine transmissible gastroenteritis is a highly contagious intestinal infectious disease caused by a coronavirus, characterized mainly by vomiting, watery diarrhea and rapid dehydration. The disease spreads quickly and occurs mostly in the cold seasons of winter and spring, often in an endemic pattern. Pigs of all ages can be infected, with morbidity and mortality being most severe in young piglets.

After onset, piglets often vomit suddenly, followed by severe watery diarrhea, with feces that are yellow-green or grayish-white and carry a fishy odor. Affected pigs quickly become emaciated and dehydrated, and the younger the piglet, the greater the harm. Symptoms in finishing pigs and adult pigs are relatively mild, mostly showing short-term loss of appetite and diarrhea; they generally recover, but weight gain and feed efficiency are markedly affected.

Prevention focuses on strengthening feeding management and biosecurity. Persist with self-breeding and self-rearing; if pigs must be introduced, isolate and observe them and confirm they are healthy before mixing them into the herd. Pig houses should be kept warm, dry and well ventilated, and disinfected thoroughly on a regular basis. Vaccinating sows before farrowing helps piglets obtain maternal antibody protection through colostrum. During epidemic seasons, the movement of people, vehicles and equipment should also be controlled to cut off transmission routes.

There is currently no specific therapeutic drug for this disease, so clinical management relies mainly on symptomatic treatment and intensive nursing care. Sick pigs should be isolated promptly, kept warm, and given fluids and electrolytes to relieve dehydration, with antibiotics added if necessary to prevent secondary infection. Relevant prevention and control plans should be formulated and implemented under the guidance of a veterinarian according to the actual conditions of the farm.