Dear State Animal Health Officials,
Based on discussions and feedback last week regarding implementation of the swine enteric coronavirus disease (SECD) federal order that will provide support to producers and veterinarians for cases compatible with either PEDV and/or PDCoV—USDA will pay for diagnostic testing to support the initial diagnosis of PEDV and PDCoV in swine herds and to support the monitoring and management plans of herds meeting the USDA’s case definition, regardless of the test result (positive and negative results). Samples submitted to NAHLN laboratories from farm sites or export quarantine facilities located in the United States for PEDV and PDCoV testing will be paid for by the USDA through blanket purchase agreements with the NAHLN laboratories. These samples may include individual animal samples or environmental samples which are linked to specific farm sites and live pigs. Currently the USDA will only support diagnostic testing using PCR. Support for other diagnostic assays will be considered in the future.
Approved sample types submitted for PEDV and PDCoV PCR testing eligible for reimbursement include:
a. Intestines
b. Feces
c. Fecal Swabs
d. Oral Fluids
e. Environmental Samples (specifically associated with a farm site and live pigs)
Samples submitted from truck washes, trucks, trailers, other transport vehicles, feed, feed mills, and other non-farm site samples including those submitted for research purposes will not be paid for by the USDA.
Please contact your NAHLN Laboratory for more information on what PEDV and PDCoV diagnostic assays are reimbursable by the USDA as well as for submission procedures for PEDV and/or PDCoV PCR testing. The local Veterinary Services district offices and NAHLN program office (NAHLN@aphis.usda.gov) are also able to answer specific questions you might have.