"A disease that killed off at least 10 percent of the nation’s hogs in the last year is starting to threaten farmers again as colder weather approaches. But they have new tools to fight the ailment, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. The Agriculture Department has conditionally approved two vaccines, and a third is on the horizon. ...

The virus infects sows and is passed from them to their piglets, which are particularly vulnerable. About half of the nation’s six million sows have contracted it, and some have lost entire litters to the disease, according to the National Pork Producers Council."

Stephanie Strom reports for the New York Times October 9, 2014. [2]