Category Archives: Foreign Animal Disease

An active outbreak of mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in pigs in the Australian states of Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia was first reported to the OIE on March 10. So far, 24 swine production sites have been affected. The outbreaks vary from intensive, fully-housed, sow farms to free range farms, with susceptible swine populations on affected sites ranging from five to 100,000 animals, according to OIE reports. Clinical signs have included an increase in stillborn pigs, mummified fetuses, and abortions as well as live pigs born with neurological symptoms including shaking and fine motor tremors. Reports from specific sites include up to a 70% stillborn rate, 50% of sows affected over the last two weeks, and approximately 20% of litters being affected.

With the spotlight on African swine fever (ASF) and other foreign animal diseases across the globe, the USDA has awarded University of Minnesota researchers nearly $1.5 million to improve the surveillance and detection of foreign animal disease (FAD) and develop a rapid field test to detect foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

African swine fever, a highly contagious swine disease, is in the Dominican Republic. The disease does not infect people, but it can wipe out pork production in a region. Quick identification and containment are key to stopping its spread, and a team of Purdue University researchers are developing a rapid, pen-side test for the disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is sharing the availability of the Swine Hemorrhagic Fever Surveillance System evaluation brief and dashboard. The brief and dashboard both monitor surveillance data related to African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF).

The industry continues to pursue the validation of oral fluids as a diagnostic sample to be used if ASF or another foreign animal disease enters the US.

The industry continues to pursue the validation of oral fluids as a diagnostic sample to be used if ASF or another foreign animal disease enters the US.

The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC) and United Soybean Board (USB) have joined with the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) to launch a research project that will evaluate several methods for cleaning and disinfecting feed mills following a potential African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.

During the past three months, from October to December, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance (SITC) program seized and destroyed more than 1,900 pounds of prohibited pork, poultry, and ruminant products from New York City-area retailers. These items were sourced from China, lacked required import permits and health certificates, and therefore are considered a risk of introducing invasive plant and animal pests and diseases into the United States.

African swine fever (ASF) was diagnosed in Italy on January 7, 2022.

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