Swine Vesicular Disease: An Overview

Swine vesicular disease (SVD) is a notifiable viral disease of pigs included on the Office International des Epizooties List A. The first outbreak of the disease was recognized in Italy in 1966. Subsequently, the disease has been reported in many European and Asian countries. The causative agent of the disease is SVD virus which is currently classified as a porcine variant of human coxsackievirus B5 and a member of the genus enterovirus in the family picornaviridae. From a clinical point of view, SVD is relatively unimportant, rarely causing deaths and usually only a minor setback to finishing schedules. However, the clinical signs which it produces are indistinguishable from those caused by foot-and-mouth disease, and its presence prevents international trade in pigs and pig products. This article reviews recent findings on all aspects of the virus and the disease which it causes.