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.
Author Archives: Paul Sundberg
SHIC Study Examines Mitigant Efficacy in Pathogen-Contaminated Feed
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) funded a study to evaluate the mitigation potential of chemical feed additives following natural consumption of contaminated and mitigated feed. Prompted by concern over feed biosecurity and other research results suggesting feed can harbor viable viral pathogens and potentially serve as source of infection to susceptible pigs, this study was recently completed and the full report is posted on the SHIC website. Results showed chemical mitigation alone may not be able to completely prevent transmission of pathogens through feed.
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.
SHIC Reminds International Travelers to Request Secondary Screening When Appropriate
On February 28, 2020, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) received a report from a person who traveled to Ecuador and visited several pig farms then returned to the US. This person re-entered in Atlanta, declared the farm visits, and was not diverted for secondary screening. This person did not see signage directing this process nor any beagle brigade teams working. International travelers returning to the US, or those arriving from other countries, after visiting a farm or being in contact with animals in a country (or countries) with ASF, or any other foreign animal disease, should declare this information to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) via written form, airport kiosk, or verbally. SHIC, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV), National Pork Board (NPB), and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) continue to ask international travelers to report if they were not diverted for secondary screening upon arrival in the United States.
SHIC Soliciting Proposals for ASF Research in Vietnam
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is soliciting proposals to address priorities for African swine fever (ASF) research in Vietnam. SHIC, with active support from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), received a grant from USDA’s Foreign Animal Service division to fund a multi-phase project including swine health field projects in Vietnam, creating the basis for this call for proposals. The Center is interested in supporting US-based researchers with research memorandums of understanding or direct contacts with university or pork production animal health researchers in Vietnam. The objective of these researchable priorities is to help Vietnamese pork production respond and recover from the ASF epidemic and to help US pork producers learn lessons about ASF epidemiology and management, in preparation should the virus enter the US.
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.
SHIC’s Updated Diagnostic Assay Catalog Gives Diagnosticians Valuable Tools
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) posted an updated Diagnostic Assay Catalog on February 20, 2020. SHIC’s catalog provides diagnosticians with pertinent information about new and existing PCR and ELISA tests available, including confirmed contact information for the experts who developed the tests, allowing for questions about availability and use. The Diagnostic Assay Catalog includes six Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) in addition to 18 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Assays developed in response to SHIC’s prioritized Swine Viral Disease Matrix. These additional tools may provide means to uncover emerging diseases.
SHIC-Funded Collaborative Study Addresses Oral Fluid PRV PCR
Psuedorabies virus (PRV) ranks fourth on the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) swine disease matrix due to the potential for introducing highly pathogenic PRV into the US from Asia, as well as its potential negative impact on exports. Improvements in PRV diagnostics, surveillance, control, and elimination remain relevant. A collaborative research project among the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and Iowa State University addressed the need for PRV PCRs for swine oral fluid.
SHIC Efforts Assess Tools for Feed Biosecurity Related to CSF and PRV
Significant attention has been given to mitigating the risk of African swine fever virus (ASFV) transmission in feedstuffs. Effective feed biosecurity includes layers and multiple steps, protecting pigs from many disease challenges beyond ASF including classical swine fever (CSF) and pseudorabies virus (PRV). In a recently published study funded by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), researchers’ work to determine the stability of CSF and PRV in feed ingredients under transpacific shipping conditions was detailed and underscores the need for vigilant feed biosecurity processes. Understanding the risk and mitigation of foreign animal diseases such as ASFV, CSFV and PRV in feed and feed ingredients is critical to protecting the health of the US swine herd.
February Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report Now Available
The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) February Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available. In the February report, we learn porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) positive cases reported in January were down compared to December in all age groups and sample types. This data corresponds to the Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Program which reports a relatively low PRRS incidence in sow farms compared to previous years. The overall percentage of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) RNA positive cases in January was slightly up from December with increased detection observed in cases from Minnesota and North Carolina. The overall percentage of porcine deltacorona virus (PDCoV) positive cases in January was slightly down from December. Both PEDV and PDCoV RNA positive cases are within forecasted levels for this time of year. The overall percentage of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae positive cases in January was slightly up from December, mostly driven by samples with unknown information for age category.