United States: USDA notes progress on SECD since Federal Order

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) noted its progress addressing Swine Enteric Coronavirus Disease (SECD) since issuing a Federal Order requiring the reporting of SECD to federal and state animal health officials six months ago.

In early 2014, an additional related virus, porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV), appeared in USA. In response to the significant impact novel SECD, including PEDv and PDCoV, are having on the U.S. pork industry, USDA issued a Federal Order on June 5, 2014. There are two basic requirements of the Federal Order:

• Producers, veterinarians, and diagnostic laboratories are required to report all cases of novel SECD to USDA or State animal health officials.
• Herds/premises confirmed to be affected with these viruses must work with a veterinarian – either their herd veterinarian, or USDA or State animal health officials – to develop and implement a reasonable herd/premises management plan to address the detected virus and prevent its spread.

Today, USDA is receiving more accurate and timely information about SECD affected herds and their locations, which allows animal health officials to better understand how the disease spreads and what measures are most effective in containing it. Prior to the Federal Order, information on these diseases was basic and limited, which made it difficult to monitor the spread or conduct disease investigations. In particular, USDA has achieved the following milestones in reporting and managing SECD:

• Increasing the number of tests submitted with a premises identification number from 20 percent to greater than 75 percent and growing, allowing for more accurate monitoring of current disease incidence and spread;
• Granting two conditional licenses for vaccines, which provide producers with additional options to help protect their herds;
• Improving USDA’s ability to detect new viruses and changes to existing viruses through viral genetic sequencing; and
• Receiving information quickly and electronically through an improved information technology network with the laboratories, which allows for federal and state health officials to better understand the spread of a foreign animal disease outbreak in nearly real time.