In early December, the Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC’s) Rapid Response Program was beta-tested to find and fix any issues in implementation. The Program is designed to rapidly investigate swine disease outbreaks to support quick response and sharing of information with others about potential entry pathways. For the test, two cases of PED without obvious pathways of introduction were investigated. Dr. Derald Holtkamp, associate professor at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and project leader for SHIC’s Rapid Response Program, said the test was a great opportunity to discover what aspects of the Program worked and where improvement is needed.
Author Archives: Paul Sundberg
SHIC Moves Porcine Sapelovirus Up on Swine Disease Matrix
With increasing reports of porcine sapelovirus (PSV) from veterinary diagnostic labs, along with anecdotal evidence from practitioners and producers, as evidence, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) revised the priority of the virus on the Swine Disease Matrix from an average risk score of 1.0 in May 2017 to a score of 4.0 in December 2017. The SHIC Monitoring and Analysis Working Group agreed PSV should be rated like its other enterovirus cousins on the Matrix which serves as a watch list for current disease conditions domestically and globally. SHIC is actively monitoring disease conditions and responding to evolving concerns with the goal of protecting the health of the US swine herd.
SHIC Rapid Response Corps Up, Beta-Testing, and Ready
The Swine Health Information Center’s Rapid Response Program, designed for epidemiological investigations of new emerging, transboundary, and endemic swine diseases, is well underway. Carried out by the Rapid Response Corps, a team of specifically-trained industry experts to analyze the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in affected herds, the Program is being tested in the field using PED and perhaps other endemic disease outbreaks. If you’re signed up for the Corps, finish by completing the training. If you’re in Regions 1 or 2, we need more Corps members.
SHIC’s Initial Near Real-time Global Swine Disease Surveillance System Report Issued
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) announces the first monthly Swine Disease Global Surveillance Report has been issued. This November 2017 report focuses on a trio of high priority diseases – African Swine Fever, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and Classical Swine Fever – as the near real-time monitoring system is developed and tested. Subsequent reports, beginning in January, will include information about additional, production-affecting diseases.
SHIC Seeking Your input for 2018 Plan of Work Priorities
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) continues to prioritize high-impact, urgent return on investment projects to monitor, predict, prepare, and respond to emerging diseases. Members of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians are invited and encouraged to provide input into the SHIC 2018 Plan of Work, providing direction for upcoming priorities. “Think big. Don’t be constrained by difficulty or cost in your visioning,” stated Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of SHIC.
Need More Diagnostics? SHIC Diagnostic Fee Support Can Help
In cases of high or ongoing morbidity or mortality, where cause is either not identified or diagnosis is questionable, SHIC may be able to help pay for further diagnostic work.
SHIC Monitoring Bat-Sourced Coronavirus Variant in China
A bat enteric coronavirus called HKU2, identified in Guangdong and Hong Kong in 2004 and 2006, has recently moved from bats to pigs in China, causing severe piglet diarrhea and mortality. Some specific mutations in the spike protein of the novel virus, compared to that of HKU2, are presumably responsible for it being able to jump from bats to pigs. The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) has gathered information to inform the SHIC Monitoring and Analysis Working Group and help them reach a consensus for guidance about next steps.
Access SHIC Rapid Response Corps Training and Resources
Do you have an action plan to follow in the event of a disease outbreak? As part of the development of the Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) Rapid Response Program, several resources are now available online which may be useful in formulating your own response protocol.
SHIC Monitoring Bat-Sourced Coronavirus Variant in China
The bat enteric coronavirus strain HKU2, identified in Guangdong and Hong Kong in 2004 and 2006, has recently moved from bats to pigs in China, causing severe piglet diarrhea and mortality. Some specific mutations in the spike protein of the novel virus, tentatively called swine enteric alphacoronavirus (SeACoV), are presumably responsible for it being able to jump from bats to pigs. The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) has gathered information to inform the SHIC Monitoring and Analysis Working Group and help them reach a consensus for guidance about next steps.
SHIC Funds Project to Develop a Model to Predict Disease Outbreaks
A novel approach to predicting disease risk will be developed and tested in a newly funded Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) project. Once the process is tested and verified, this innovative project will give producers and practitioners the opportunity to use their data to predict a change in disease risk that could lead to an outbreak. Armed with this information, they may be able to proactively prevent an outbreak or at least decrease its impact.