On Thursday April 30th the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed via ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and latex agglutination testing (LAT) a detection of antibodies to pseudorabies virus (PRV) in a small commercial swine facility in Iowa. This confirmation was a result of routine testing, not pre-movement surveillance.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says that the state has been following protocols to contain the disease.
Secretary Naig says the testing was performed quickly in part due to the testing facilities in place in Iowa.
Initial traceback indicates that the five affected boars came from an outdoor facility in Texas. Animals from that herd also tested positive for pseudorabies. APHIS is working with officials in Iowa and Texas to expand traceback efforts and identify any additional potential exposures. Secretary Naig details what is the next step for the affected commercial site.
Naig says that IDALS is strictly following procedures put in place by USDA to respond to animals found to be infected with pseudorabies.
This marks the first known case of pseudorabies in commercial swine since 2004, when it was eradicated from the commercial swine industry. This detection does not pose a risk to consumer health or affect the safety of the commercial pork supply. There may be limited, short-term impacts on exports of U.S. swine and/or swine genetics. Pseudorabies is a contagious viral disease of livestock and other mammals. However, pigs are the only natural hosts. While pseudorabies virus can infect most mammals, humans, horses, and birds are considered resistant.
