USAHA News
United States Animal Health Association
Contact:  Larry Mark - (703) 451-3954 - ldmark@erols.com


For immediate release:

SWINE DISEASE COMMITTEE BRIEFED ON PMWS

	HERSHEY, Pa., Nov. 9, 2005 - The U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA) 
Committee on Transmissible Diseases of Swine received a briefing on Post-weaning 
Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) in North America at its meeting here this week.

	There are still large gaps in knowledge about this syndrome.  Since late 2004, there has 
been an increase in severe cases of PMWS in Quebec, Canada.  These cases are characterized by 
severe wasting and high morbidity and mortality.  There also appears to be an increase in PMWS 
cases currently occurring in Ontario.  While the disease does occur in the United States, the very 
severe form has not been commonly reported.

	There currently are four "camps" of thought on the cause of PMWS:

-	Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2) alone (perhaps mutated strain)
-	PCV2 plus a non-infectious co-factor
-	PCV2 plus an infectious co-factor
-	Novel pathogen (PCV2 is secondary)

      It was emphasized that the presence of PCV2 does not equal PMWS.  It also appears that 
PMWS does not follow a normal infectious spread through a production system.

	The committee recommended that USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 
immediately commit resources to conduct PMWS research in the areas of diagnosis, control and 
biosecurity.

	The committee was also updated on a new surveillance program for Classical Swine 
Fever (CSF) or hog cholera that will begin in 2006.  The United States was officially declared 
free of this disease in January 1978.  Sampling will concentrate on high-risk areas and on high-
risk animals.  Both serology and tissue sampling will be used.  Nasal swabs and tonsils are the 
preferred samples.  Samples from Iowa and Minnesota will be taken from pigs with evidence of 
septicemia.  Efforts will concentrate on ill pigs, both at slaughter and those that are submitted to 
veterinary diagnostic laboratories.  It is expected that 17,000 samples will be taken in 2006.  

      Sample testing will be done by PCR at one of 12 approved laboratories.  Any positive or 
inconclusive test will be reported to the appropriate federal and state authorities and traceback 
will begin immediately.  Confirmatory tests will be done at the Foreign Animal Disease 
Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) on Plum Island, N.Y.  

      There is ongoing concern over raw sausage coming from the Dominican Republic into 
Puerto Rico via illegal immigration.  USDA has entered into a cooperative agreement with the 
American Association of Swine Veterinarians, the National Pork Board, and Iowa State 
University to develop educational tools on CSF.

	Under the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), a NAHMS Swine 
2006 study is being prepared.  Study objectives will be set by mid-January and a survey will start 
in July with farm visits continuing through the fall.

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