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Explore our latest coverage of environmental issues, climate change and more.

A Feral Pig Tested Positive For Pseudorabies: What It Means For Vermont Livestock

A lone feral swine tracked by trail cameras was shot and killed in Lyndonville in March. It tested positive for pseudorabies, a virus that's harmless to humans but potentially deadline to livestock and pets.
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
A lone feral swine tracked by trail cameras was shot and killed in Lyndonville in March. It tested positive for pseudorabies, a virus that's harmless to humans but potentially deadly to livestock and pets.

A lone feral swine shot and killed near Lyndonville in March tested positive for the pseudorabies virus, or PRV. The virus is harmless to humans but can be lethal to domestic pigs, other livestock and pets. And once a pig is infected with PRV, it can continue to spread the virus for the rest of its life. 

Shelley Mehlenbacher, an assistant state veterinarian with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, joins Vermont Edition to discuss the pseudorabies virus and the threat PRV poses to domestic livestock.

Mehlenbacher stresses pseudorabies is not related to the rabies virus that affects humans, nor does PRV affect humans. Vermont currently does not have a feral swine population. The virus was eradicated in the state in 1995.

Mehlenbacher discusses ways the state is reaching out to swine owners and monitoring the threat of PRV from this wild pig.

Have you seen signs of feral swine? Click here to contact a game warden.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids. In addition to her work on our international kids show, she produces special projects for Vermont Public. Until March 2021, she was host and editor of the award-winning Vermont Public program Vermont Edition.
Matt Smith worked for Vermont Public from 2017 to 2023 as managing editor and senior producer of Vermont Edition.
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