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| How ASF Spreads |
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Each summer and fall for nearly a decade we've seen sporadic cases of human infection with swine variant influenza which appear to jump from pigs to humans primarily at state and county fairs (see chart below).
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| Swine Variant Human Cases : 2010-2018 - Credit CDC |
The CDC's general risk assessment of these swine variant (H1N1v, H1N2v, H3N2v) viruses reads:
Seven weeks ago we saw the first reported case of 2019 (see CDC FluView Week 21: 1 Novel (H1N1v) Flu Infection - Michigan)- in an adult > 65 years of age who, a bit unusually, reported no recent contact with live pigs.CDC Assessment
Sporadic infections and even localized outbreaks among people with variant influenza viruses may occur. All influenza viruses have the capacity to change and it’s possible that variant viruses may change such that they infect people easily and spread easily from person-to-person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to monitor closely for variant influenza virus infections and will report cases of H3N2v and other variant influenza viruses weekly in FluView and on the case count tables on this website
While it is too soon to know how much of an impact swine variant flu will have this summer, there is another swine disease that has agricultural interests on edge this summer; African Swine Fever.
And while ASF doesn't infect humans, should it arrive here it could devastate North America's swine industry, much as it already has in Eastern Europe, China, and more recently, Southeast Asia.Nine weeks ago, in USDA Enhances Domestic ASF Surveillance Efforts, we looked at plans for enhanced testing and surveillance for ASF in American pigs, in hopes of detecting - and stamping out - any infections as early as possible.
The USDA also recently released a 28-page ASF response plan, in the event the virus turns up on American soil.
Early detection and eradication of the virus are key, and so the health of pigs being exhibited at county and state fairs this year are under even greater scrutiny than before.
Three weeks ago we saw the Pennsylvania Ag Dept.: Announce New Rules For Swine Exhibits Due to ASF Threat.Yesterday, Iowa's Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced their own biosecurity rules for the Iowa State Fair which will open for 11 days starting on August 8th.
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Iowa State Fair Announce Enhanced Biosecurity Requirements for Swine Livestock Exhibitors
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DES MOINES, Iowa (July 19, 2019) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, State Veterinarian Dr. Jeff Kaisand, and Iowa State Fair officials today announced new animal health inspection requirements for swine exhibitors at the 2019 Iowa State Fair.
These additional exhibition requirements were developed with input from veterinarians and other third-party experts. They are designed to promote biosecurity and animal health as African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to spread across China and other parts of Asia and Europe.
- All swine must be individually inspected and identified on a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection that was completed within seven (7) days of the Iowa State Fair.
- A veterinarian will inspect all swine upon arrival at the Iowa State Fairgrounds before they are unloaded from the truck or mixed with other livestock on-site.
“We are working with other state and federal agencies and industry partners to monitor the ASF situation and educate producers about biosecurity,” said Secretary Naig. “While the disease does not pose a human health or food safety threat, it would be detrimental to Iowa’s pork industry and the state’s economy. That’s why we’re implementing additional biosecurity measures for all swine exhibitors at this year’s Fair.”
While African Swine Fever is top of mind, the Department of Agriculture stresses the importance of following proper biosecurity protocols — with all species of animals — every day to protect Iowa’s livestock.
“All exhibitors are encouraged to practice good biosecurity both at the show and at home on the farm,” said Dr. Kaisand. “When exhibitors return home from the Fair, they should disinfect their equipment, isolate animals that traveled to the show from the rest of the herd, and monitor for signs of illness.”
Protecting the health of Iowa’s livestock and the state’s ag-based economy are top priorities for the Department of Agriculture and Fair organizers.
“We value Iowa’s largest industry, agriculture, and recognize the importance of comprehensive biosecurity practices,” said Gary Slater, CEO and Fair Manager. “We work in partnership with IDALS and our state veterinarians to maintain the highest standards for our livestock exhibitors and the animals they bring to show at the Fair.”
While the arrival of ASF to North America is far from inevitable, it wouldn't be without precedent. Foreign Animal Dieases (FADs) - such as such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), Virulent Newcastle disease (vND), and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) - have in the past, and remain a constant threat.
Six years ago we saw the arrival of another, far less dangerous porcine virus - PEDV - which is believed to have originated from China (see mBio: PEDV - Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus – An Emerging Coronavirus).
Of course, we aren't always on the receiving end.In January of this year China saw the first arrival of the Fall Armyworm, a highly destructive crop pest native to North & South America (see Update: Fall Armyworm Now in 15 of China’s Provinces). In June they were reported in Taiwan, and Japan reported their first occurrence in early July.
One of the realities of our highly mobile and interconnected 21st century is the ease by which both human and agricultural diseases can spread. Oceans and extended travel times no longer protect us as they once did.While we tend to worry most about human diseases, agricultural diseases - like bird flu, swine fever, and FMD - can inflict crippling economic blows.
Add in crop failures due to increasing climate instability, and you have the ingredients for seeing increased food insecurity - and political instability - around the globe.And that can have can have every bit as much impact on human health as a pandemic.
