Since African swine fever (ASF) was diagnosed in China in August 2018, veterinarians have been studying the virus’s characteristics and learning how to manage in barns. The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is monitoring these processes as part of its mission of preparedness for foreign animal disease management for the US national herd. Two US-based practitioners have experience with ASF management practices in China and shared their perspectives with SHIC.
Author Archives: Paul Sundberg
SHIC-Funded Demonstration Project Confirms Viral Survival in Feed
Working with funding provided by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), Dr. Scott Dee and his team at Pipestone Applied Research have been studying the risk of virus movement in feed. Early work was all completed in the laboratory and confirmed the survivability of porcine epic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in feed as the vehicle for transmission and transport. More recently, Dr. Dee developed a demonstration project to reproduce the results found in lab studies under real world conditions. In the report summary, results indicated the presence of viable porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV), Senecavirus A (SVA), and PEDV in both soy products, while viable SVA was recovered from all five tested feed ingredients. In contrast, survival was limited in the vitamins and amino acid ingredients.
SHIC-Funded Global Surveillance System Maintains Focus on Swine Health Risks
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report has provided near real-time information on swine diseases regularly since November 2017, included in SHIC’s monthly enewsletter, posted online on the SHIC website, as well as published using channels available to authors at the University of Minnesota Department of Veterinary Population Medicine. The project created and now maintains a public, private, academic partnership for its reporting. Initial funding for the program will soon end, however, the team at the University of Minnesota VPM is preparing a proposal for continued funding of the project after August 2020. Ideas for improvements to the content or timing of the Global Swine Disease Monitoring Reports and the program itself are welcome. Please email SHIC Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg with your comments.
SHIC-Funded Study Responds to Sapovirus Discovery with Diagnostic Tools
A new variant of porcine sapovirus (SaV) was identified in 2019 and appears to be the first detection of a single porcine SaV infection in piglets with diarrhea in the US. On a farm with SaV, piglet diarrhea during the lactation phase resulted in smaller pigs at weaning, with piglets losing one to two pounds, a severe impediment during this phase. Piglet diarrhea had been an issue on this farm for two years, creating a significant financial cost. A study on SaV funded by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is underway with results expected in August 2020. SHIC funded the study to help understand if SaV, which is included on the Center’s Swine Disease Matrix, is an emerging pathogen in the US and to develop necessary diagnostic tools. An abstract of the SaV study with initial observations is now available.
SHIC Study Looks at PCV3 Associations with Clinical Signs and Pathology
A study on porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) funded by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) mined diagnostic data obtained by the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (UMN VDL) during the last two years to identify associations between the presence of PCV3 and its viral load, and specific lesions and clinical conditions. Results from this study suggest PCV3 may cause death in fetuses and myocarditis and systemic vasculitis in pigs.
COVID-19: Experimental Infection of Fruit Bats, Ferrets, Pigs and Chicken with SARS-CoV-2 at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut
Recent work at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) in Germany reviewed SARS-CoV-2, a recently emerged zoonotic pathogen. Researchers examined susceptibility of fruit bats, ferrets, pigs, and chickens.
April Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report Now Available
The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) April Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available. In the April report, we learn porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus cases were up in March over February with detection on sow farms the highest level since March 2013. This was unsurprising due to favorable climate for virus spread during March. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) cases were down in March over February in all age categories. Porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV) cases were up slightly in March over February following expected seasonality. Mycoplasma pneumonia (MHP) cases were down in March as well, also following expectations.
SHIC and AASV Host Hemorrhagic Tracheitis Webinar: Challenges and Findings to Date – Video Now Available
Hemorrhagic tracheitis syndrome (HTS) has been diagnosed in Canada for years and has now reached the US. Practitioners and diagnosticians in Canada and the US provided insight into the syndrome’s progression during a webinar sponsored by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) and American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV). Held on Thursday, April 2, 2020, the webinar provided information on the syndrome, its signalments, tissues for postmortem assessment, and management. There were 238 participants in the webinar which is available to view here.
Call for Proposals: Identifying Gaps in US Pork Industry Biosecurity
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, and Swine Health Information Center are asking for proposals to identify gaps in US pork industry national biosecurity that could result in the entry and domestic dissemination of diseases foreign to the US pork industry. This work will objectively prioritize those gaps based on their potential to result in the introduction and spread of swine diseases. The final report will be shared with state and federal animal health officials, pork producers, veterinarians and allied industries for actions needed to address the prioritized gaps.
Webinar April 2 – SHIC/AASV Hemorrhagic Tracheitis Webinar Addresses Syndrome Management
Hemorrhagic tracheitis syndrome has been progressing east to west across Canada for a period of years and has now reached the US. Practitioners and diagnosticians in Canada and the US will provide insight into the syndrome’s progression during a webinar sponsored by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) and American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV). Scheduled for Thursday, April 2, 2020, from 10:00 to 11:30 am CT, the webinar will provide information on the syndrome, its signalments, tissues for postmortem assessment, and management. Click here to register.