The dilemma of rare events: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in North America

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has been recognized as a swine pathogen for 40 years, but until 2013 had not been detected in the Western Hemisphere. From originally causing a relatively mild and sporadic disease, PEDV has been more recently associated with severe outbreaks of diarrheal disease in Asia, and subsequently North America. PEDV shares some important characteristics with two major pandemic viruses (porcine reproductive and respiratory virus; porcine circovirus type 2) of pigs that have high rates of mutation and high host specificity, and appear to have been present in the swine virome for decades prior to emerging to cause severe clinical disease. A unique feature of the PEDV in North America has been the implication of feed as a vehicle for transmission, with particular concerns related to ingredients of porcine origin. The importance of relatively rare events in contributing to both the emergence and transmission of PEDV is discussed in relation to approaches for managing the associated risks.