A recent study that looked at the duration of Senecavirus A (SVA) shedding from clinically affected and non-affected sows and piglets after a breeding herd infection was completed by Iowa State University and funded by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC). The principal investigator, Dr. Chris Rademacher, reported that there appears to be a short-term risk to other herds when a sow farm has a SVA outbreak, but that it may be lower 30 days after the outbreak. Summary: The study was designed to evaluate the length of shedding of SVA from a sow farm undergoing a SVA outbreak in the fall of 2015. The main goal was to obtain information regarding the SVA shedding pattern in a sow herd to provide some guidance on how long they should be closed to minimize the risk of transmitting the virus to other herds or to end-point, cull-sow markets.
Author Archives: Paul Sundberg
SHIC Highlights 2016 Accomplishments
Looking back at 2016, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) accomplished many things in its mission to protect and enhance the health of the United States swine herd. In the full 2016 Progress Report, SHIC offers details of how it enhanced and coordinated global disease monitoring, targeted research investments and improved analysis and communication of swine health data, and how it made a difference in our countryâs ability to prepare for and mitigate disease threats.
SHIC: Unresolved Disease Investigations Yield Valuable Insights
A recent Swine Health Information Center (SHIC)-assisted investigation into a case of increased death loss associated with acute onset of CNS signs, initially described as tremors, in a grow-finish herd illustrated how SHIC can offer assistance in the quest to gain insights about unresolved cases, regardless of outcome. While everyone always desires a conclusive etiology to any unknown case, that outcome is not guaranteed. Despite this reality, there is always value in the ongoing professional investigatory process itself and discovery of any new facts.
SHIC Creates Guidelines for CNS Disease Case Identification and Reporting
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) convened a cross-section of experts involved in swine disease diagnostics at the veterinary diagnostic laboratories of Iowa State University, University of Minnesota and South Dakota State University to create specific guidelines to follow for improved accuracy and efficiency in reporting diseases of unknown etiology affecting the central nervous system (CNS) www.swinehealth.org/neurologic-syndromes/.
SHIC Makes Progress on Rapid Response Corps Project
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) continues to make strides toward making nationwide operational disease preparedness a reality with its Rapid Response Corps (RRC) project. Specifically, SHICâs goal with this project is to develop a rapid response program for epidemiological investigations of emerging, transboundary and endemic swine diseases.
SHIC Helps Swine Health Monitoring Project’s Capabilities
The Swine Health Monitoring Project (SHMP) was created in 2012 to prospectively monitor the incidence of PRRS virus, but has since expanded in scope to also include incidence of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) and Seneca Valley Virus. Today, participating veterinarians from across the country submit data weekly representing about 40 percent of the domestic sow herd. This ongoing effort provides invaluable data and reports back to the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) and assists in its mission to protect and enhance the health of the U.S. swine herd through coordinated global disease monitoring.
Novel Porcine Sapelovirus Found During SHIC-funded Diagnostic Investigation
Using funds from Swine Health Information Center (SHIC)âs Support for Diagnostic Fees program, porcine sapelovirus has been implicated in an acute outbreak of atypical neurologic disease. Dr. Paulo Arruda, Iowa State University, led a team of diagnosticians (Dr. Kent Schwartz, ISU; Dr. Albert Rovira, UMN; Dr. Jerome Nietfeld, KSU) and research assistant professor Dr. Ben Hause, KSU, through the case, acting on the request of the submitting veterinarian and owner.
SHIC Cites Successes in First Year
As the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) celebrates its first anniversary, itâs time to look back at what the organization has accomplished in its first year to get an early indication of how this new organization is conducting its important work. [Source: SHIC, July 13, 2016]
Are These Three Viruses Trending to Becoming More Common?
Recently, the number of calls and emails about growing pigs showing a wide range of neurologic signs of disease possibly related to three somewhat lesser-known viruses have increased. Veterinarians report growing pigs presenting symptoms that range from mild muscle tremors with mental alertness to lethargy and ataxia, with the most extreme cases progressing to paralysis and death. Reports of morbidity have been as low as 5 percent to as high as 20 percent. Case fatality rate has ranged from 30 percent to 100 percent. Among the possible infectious causes are porcine teschovirus (PTV), porcine sapelovirus (PSV) and atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV). Although these viruses are not new to the United States, historically confirmed cases have been reported infrequently. [Source: SHIC, June 29, 2016]
Are These Three Viruses Trending to Becoming More Common?
Recently, the number of calls and emails about growing pigs showing a wide range of neurologic signs of disease possibly related to three somewhat lesser-known viruses have increased. Veterinarians report growing pigs presenting symptoms that range from mild muscle tremors with mental alertness to lethargy and ataxia, with the most extreme cases progressing to paralysis and death. Reports of morbidity have been as low as 5 percent to as high as 20 percent. Case fatality rate has ranged from 30 percent to 100 percent. Among the possible infectious causes are porcine teschovirus (PTV), porcine sapelovirus (PSV) and atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV). Although these viruses are not new to the United States, historically confirmed cases have been reported infrequently. [Source: SHIC, June 29, 2016]