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Source: https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/20...08/appbacteria
Iowa State University veterinarians investigating unusual bacterial disease in central Iowa pigs
Posted 6 hours ago
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University veterinarians have taken on the role of gumshoe detectives as they investigate how an aggressive bacterial strain has spread among central Iowa pork production facilities.
The bacteria, called Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), has showed up in nine central Iowa pork production systems since late November. It attacks a pig’s respiratory system and can cause death quickly after the first symptoms emerge. ISU veterinarians are sequencing the genome of the bacteria and, with funding from the Swine Health Information Center, piecing together clues indicating how the bacteria spread. They’re also developing protocols to contain the bacteria and coordinating with pork producers and local veterinarians to minimize the disease’s impact.
The U.S. pork industry has dealt with a number of serotypes, or strains, of APP since the 1960s, said Dr. Marcelo Almeida, a clinical assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine. Producers and veterinarians learned to manage the disease, so it rarely causes serious problems, although some serotypes still circulate among herds. Almeida said the ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory confirms between 70 and 80 cases of APP in pigs every year, but most years do not see an unusual outbreak like this one, which has caused mortality of up to 50% in infected herds.
The central Iowa outbreak is unusual because of its concentration, with all the affected production systems within a roughly 20-mile radius, said Dr. Derald Holtkamp, professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine. The bacteria most often spread via physical contact and generally don’t survive long in the environment.
“It’s a disease that, according to the textbook, shouldn’t be very easily transmitted from one herd to another,” Holtkamp said. “But in this case, it’s moved around a fair amount.”...
Iowa State University veterinarians investigating unusual bacterial disease in central Iowa pigs
Posted 6 hours ago
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University veterinarians have taken on the role of gumshoe detectives as they investigate how an aggressive bacterial strain has spread among central Iowa pork production facilities.
The bacteria, called Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), has showed up in nine central Iowa pork production systems since late November. It attacks a pig’s respiratory system and can cause death quickly after the first symptoms emerge. ISU veterinarians are sequencing the genome of the bacteria and, with funding from the Swine Health Information Center, piecing together clues indicating how the bacteria spread. They’re also developing protocols to contain the bacteria and coordinating with pork producers and local veterinarians to minimize the disease’s impact.
The U.S. pork industry has dealt with a number of serotypes, or strains, of APP since the 1960s, said Dr. Marcelo Almeida, a clinical assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine. Producers and veterinarians learned to manage the disease, so it rarely causes serious problems, although some serotypes still circulate among herds. Almeida said the ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory confirms between 70 and 80 cases of APP in pigs every year, but most years do not see an unusual outbreak like this one, which has caused mortality of up to 50% in infected herds.
The central Iowa outbreak is unusual because of its concentration, with all the affected production systems within a roughly 20-mile radius, said Dr. Derald Holtkamp, professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine. The bacteria most often spread via physical contact and generally don’t survive long in the environment.
“It’s a disease that, according to the textbook, shouldn’t be very easily transmitted from one herd to another,” Holtkamp said. “But in this case, it’s moved around a fair amount.”...
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