The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) emphasizes that insights gained from regions impacted by African Swine Fever (ASF) have been instrumental in refining prevention strategies to keep North America free of the disease.
In its January eNewsletter, SHIC published its latest domestic and global swine disease monitoring reports, highlighting the evolving landscape of ASF outbreaks. According to SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton, ASF remains a persistent challenge, with recent outbreaks reported in Poland and Sri Lanka. However, advancements in prevention and management strategies offer hope.
The Role of Lessons Learned
“Early efforts at vaccine development focused on using killed products, but these were found to be ineffective,” explains Dr. Becton. “The focus has now shifted to exploring modified live virus vaccines that maintain animal health while reducing virus spread.”
Dr. Becton also points to enhanced border surveillance and transportation protocols as key components of prevention efforts. “There’s a more aggressive focus on preventing illegal meats and meat products from entering the country. At the same time, we’re looking at innovative transportation strategies and other measures to mitigate the risk of virus spread,” she says.
Learning from Global Experiences
Dr. Becton underscores the importance of leveraging global experiences to bolster North America’s defenses. “It’s crucial to analyze both successes and failures from other countries to understand why the virus breached their borders and how they managed to control it,” she notes. “These lessons are invaluable for mitigating risk and strengthening our prevention strategies.”
Remaining Vigilant
ASF’s shifting infection patterns underscore the complexity of managing and controlling the disease. Dr. Becton emphasizes the need for constant vigilance in identifying and addressing risk factors.
SHIC’s domestic and global swine disease monitoring reports are available at swinehealth.org, providing timely updates and insights for producers and industry stakeholders.
For more updates, visit SwineWeb.com.
