Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus

This chapter provides an overview of the classification, description, hosts, key developments, diagnostic techniques, and diagnostic reagents for porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus. Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus belongs to the family Coronaviridae; genus Coronavirus; and species Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (HEV). Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus causes two distinct syndromes; one is known as vomiting and wasting disease, and the other involves encephalomyelitis. The hosts of porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus are pigs. Vomiting and wasting disease and encephalomyelitis were initially reported as two separate diseases in Canada in the late 1950s. Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus was isolated in 1962, and the common etiology of the two syndromes was shown in 1969. The diagnostic techniques for porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus are virus neutralisation (VN) and agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID).