Category Archives: Animal Health

The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) June Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available. In the June Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report, we learn the overall percentage of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) positive cases in May was similar to the previous month. Wean-to-market cases were slightly up. Comparing January – April 2020 to the same four months of 2019, the number of PRRSV cases was up 6.49%. The overall percentage of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) RNA-positive cases in May was down compared to April, however, this was not the case for the adult/sow category where detection remained similar to the prior month. The overall percentage of porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV) positive cases in May was down compared to April as well and within forecasted levels for this time of year. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MHP) positive cases in May were within the forecasted levels, also.

The 2020 VSV outbreak began on April 13, 2020, when the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa confirmed the first VSV-positive premises in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. Arizona and Texas subsequently broke with VSV cases which were confirmed by NVSL on April 22, 2020 (Cochise County, Arizona) and April 23, 2020 (Starr County, Texas). [Source: Colorado Department of Agriculture 5 May 2020]

The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) May Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus positive cases in April were down in March per the most recent Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report (DSDMR) and within the forecasted levels for this time of the year. The DSDMR advisory group pointed out COVID-19-related packing plant shutdowns have led to the retention of animals in the field and caused negative market impact. They also noted this may affect the implementation of health interventions, as well as cause disruptions of pigs and people flows. Altogether, these factors can lead to increased pressure of pathogen infection in the field in the near term. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine deltacorona virus (PDCoV) cases were also down in April compared to March. Both were in forecasted levels for this time of year. The overall percentage of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae positive cases in April was within the forecasted levels, down from March levels.

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.

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.

No one wants to think about what would happen if an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) would take place in the U.S. Fortunately, in addition to experts working to keep it out, many experts are working in the background developing plans for what would happen if it does. [Source: AgWeb 2 April 2020 by Jennifer Shike]

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.

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.

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.

The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) March Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available. In this month’s report, the overall percentage of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)-positive cases in February were down from January in all age groups and sample types. It was noted genetic variability of PRRSV is still increasing. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) RNA-positive cases in February were up from January in Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. The overall percentage of porcine deltacorona virus (PDCoV)-positive cases was down from January. Both PEDV and PDCoV positive cases are within forecasted levels for this time of year. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MHP)-positive cases in February were down from January in all age categories. MHP detection also followed the expected predicted decrease for this period of the year.