MANHATTAN, KAN. – As part of its commitment to monitor and identify emerging threats to the health of swine herds throughout the pork industry, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is urging producers to be vigilant in their influenza A virus (IAV) monitoring and biosecurity practices. To support surveillance and monitoring efforts the SHIC provides funding to publish monthly domestic disease monitoring reports.

Additionally, the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Influenza A Swine Surveillance Program regularly updates its guidance to help producers identify symptoms of IAVs, including the most common strains in the United States, which are H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2. The USDA program was started after the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.

In light of the recent detection of IAVs across species, on April 25, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians revised its position on influenza A viruses. The revised position statement states: “It is the position of the AASV that we…recommend pork producers, swine veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories actively participate in IAV surveillance programs that provide information regarding IAV evolution and epidemiology.”

 “The recent detection of influenza A virus H5N1 in livestock highlights the potential for influenza viruses to infect different species and the necessity for routine monitoring of influenza-like illness and maintaining good biosecurity practices in swine herds,” according to the SHIC. “Daily evaluation of pig health is important to rapidly identify early signs of an influenza outbreak such as increased coughing, difficulty breathing, nasal or ocular discharge, fever, lethargy and reduced feed intake.”

The organization said that identifying and detection programs throughout the country’s swine herd serve to ensure diagnostics are accurate and vaccines effective as part of developing strategies to prevent, manage and control IAVs.