During its board meeting on June 11, 2021, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) Board of Directors voted to extend the Swine Disease Reporting System (SDRS), that makes up the Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report in the monthly newsletter, for another year. Launched in 2017 with SHIC funding, the SDRS has provided monthly reports on swine disease activity based on aggregated veterinary diagnostic lab (VDL) data. The reports are published in the monthly SHIC newsletter and posted on the Center’s website. This report, developed by staff from Iowa State University (ISU) with data from ISU, University of Minnesota, South Dakota State University and Kansas State University (KSU), is currently the only publicly available source of swine health information from VDLs.
These four VDLs account for more than 95% of porcine diagnostics in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. With SHIC’s continued support, SDRS will expand to now include data on Influenza A virus (IAV) detection by PCR with IAV subtyping information, and porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) detection by PCR. SDRS will continue to contain updated aggregated information for:
- Porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV)
- Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV)
- Porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV)
- Transmissible gastro enteritis (TGE)
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. hyo)
Data from SRDS addresses the US swine industry’s need for accurate, near real-time information on swine diseases, allowing stakeholders to respond precisely to endemic diseases in an efficient and timely fashion. The project also fits SHIC’s mission for foreign animal disease preparedness by having quality data on endemic swine disease activity.
Additional Board Actions
The SHIC Board heard an update on a Feed Gateway Project. Funded by the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council, this project, led by KSU, has the potential to help advance feed safety in the US pork industry.
They also received preliminary findings from the key biosecurity gaps analysis in the US swine industry, a research project funded by both SHIC and the National Pork Board. This project is assessing transboundary swine disease risk of entry and spread, including African swine fever (ASF). Scheduled to be completed in July, these results will be used to help protect the US industry from ASF and other foreign animal diseases. SHIC’s 2021 Plan of Work includes possible actions to take in response to the risk assessment to continue to help protect the US pork industry from foreign, transboundary diseases.
The Board reviewed SHIC research completed and ongoing in 2021 as well as current outbreaks of PRRS in the upper Midwest. Because SHIC’s mission is to monitor, prevent and prepare for emerging diseases, PRRS, or other endemic diseases, may be addressed if they can be used as a model for an emerging disease. It was noted the SHIC Rapid Response Program and epidemiological investigations can help with, or set precedent for, emerging disease preparedness and response.
SHIC, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, continues to focus efforts on prevention, preparedness, and response to novel and emerging swine disease for the benefit of US swine health. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. SHIC is funded by America’s pork producers to fulfill its mission to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Sundberg at psundberg@swinehealth.org.