Category Archives: Foreign Animal Disease

The potential for Japanese encephalitis virus transmission and spread in the US is the focus of a new investigation led by Dr. Natalia Cernicchiaro, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. John Drake, Director of the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia. With funding from and in collaboration with researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture, National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, Foreign Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit, the team of researchers commenced the multi-year grant on August 1, 2023.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam has officially approved the domestic commercial use of two locally manufactured vaccines against African swine fever. With this decision, NAVET-ASFVAC by Navetco Central Veterinary Medicine Company and AVAC ASF LIVE by AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Company have become the world’s first commercial vaccines against ASF.

The Swine Medicine Education Center will hold four, two-day training sessions for the Certified Swine Sample Collector program. These trainings will be geared toward individuals with limited swine experience and will include visits to breeding and grow-finish facilities.

Abstract: Enhanced passive surveillance for early detection of African and classical swine fevers

As part of the annual conference of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture, Canadian Ministers confirmed their commitment to respond to animal disease outbreaks through the establishment of a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank. Budget 2023 committed $57.5 million over 5 years, with $5.6 million ongoing, to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to establish an FMD Vaccine Bank for Canada, and to develop FMD response plans.

Vietnam has approved the domestic commercial use of two home-grown vaccines against African swine fever (ASF), the government said on Monday, making them the world’s first commercial vaccines against the deadly disease.

Due to the ongoing risk of Japanese encephalitis virus emergence in the US, the Swine Health Information Center funded a systematic literature review intended to increase understanding of the virus’s biology, components and dynamics of transmission, and environmental factors necessary for incursion and establishment. The recently completed systematic review is in addition to a separate JEV Risk Assessment funded by SHIC that is still in progress. As the US is considered a susceptible region with potential for the introduction of JEV, SHIC has focused on these projects designed to further strengthen US swine industry preparedness and inform response efforts, should they be needed.

The Swine Medicine Education Center will hold four, two-day training sessions for the Certified Swine Sample Collector program. These trainings will be geared toward individuals with limited swine experience and will include visits to breeding and grow-finish facilities.

Although he’s motivated by treats and can charm just about anyone, don’t let this dog fool you. Sol is a highly driven beagle who plays a critical role in protecting U.S. agriculture. He is part of the Beagle Brigade and works alongside Martin Schultz, an agriculture specialist for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

As international travel increases, the Swine Health Information Center offers a reminder to report production agriculture traveler experiences while entering the US and going through customs. Some travelers who self-reported visits to livestock production sites have not been diverted to customs agriculture specialists for secondary screening. SHIC, along with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, National Pork Board, and NPPC, ask international travelers to report if they were not diverted for secondary screening upon arrival in the US.