DENVER — Pork prices may be on the rise in the next few months because of a new virus that has migrated to the U.S., killing piglets in 15 states at an alarming rate in facilities where it has been reported.

Dr. Nick Striegel, assistant state veterinarian for the Colorado Department of Agriculture, said Wednesday the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, also known as PED, was thought to exist only in Europe and China, but Colorado and 14 other states began reporting the virus in April, and officials confirmed its presence in May. The virus causes severe diarrhea, vomiting and severe dehydration in pigs, and can be fatal.

“It has been devastating for those producers where it has been diagnosed. It affects nursing pigs, and in some places, there has been 100 percent mortality.”

Striegel said the disease is not harmful to humans, and there is no evidence it affects pork products.

He said outbreaks are not required to be reported to federal officials, so the extent of the spread is difficult to determine, but in Colorado at least two large production facilities have seen outbreaks.

The virus has been confirmed in about 200 hog facilities in 14 other states including Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.

Dr. Lisa Becton, with the National Pork Board, said veterinarians are still not sure how the disease got to the U.S.