THE Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Ministry has launched a surveillance initiative after a possible case of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) at a pig farm in North Trinidad.

The ministry said in a July 8 press release that PRRS, also known as blue ear disease, is a serious condition affecting domestic pigs, characterised by reproductive failure (abortion, stillbirths, infertility), respiratory symptoms (pneumonia, coughing, sneezing), and increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections.

It is important to note that PRRS is not a zoonotic disease and poses no threat to food safety and human health. Local pork remains safe for human consumption, the release said.