Western Canada's support for Swine Health and Disease Surveillance

About CWSHIN

CWSHIN connects members of the swine sector from across western Canada to share information on current swine health trends. We are a surveillance system imbedded in an intelligence network.

Using elements of science, management, communication and documentation, CWSHIN:

  1. Applies modern surveillance and epidemiologic methods to data collected from practitioners, laboratories, abattoirs, etc., and provide swine health intelligence to producers and swine veterinarians in western Canada.
  2. Monitors worldwide swine health trends, to allow for a better understanding of advances and potential threats.
  3. Strengthens the surveillance system and intelligence network through strong governance within the CWSHIN team and collaboration with swine health stakeholders.
  4. Communicates with producers, practitioners and governments to grow the network.
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CWSHIN OBJECTIVES

OBJECTIVES 1
Early detection of emerging swine health issues, such as increased prevalence of common diseases or minimizing the impact of new diseases to the sector.
OBJECTIVES 2
Improving control of diseases by integrating response information to regional health issues.
OBJECTIVES 3 v2
Providing western Canadian producers and veterinarians with current regional, national and international disease information.
OBJECTIVES 4
Maintaining international market access by providing evidence of the absence of reportable disease.

WHAT'S NEW

CWSHIN Report on Swine health surveillance for Quarter 3 (July to September) 2019 – 12 November 2019

Messages from the report

The CWSHIN objectives include early detection of emerging disease issues. Therefore, we strive to flag and discuss new or unusual signs of disease regardless if the cause of disease is considered common or not. One of the emerging diseases from the second quarter (Strep equi zooepidermicus or Strep zoo for short) is still lingering and causes some concern especially in Manitoba and the US Midwest. It has now been named a potential emerging disease threat.

When we face emerging swine health issues or unusual presentation of known diseases, swine producers, herd practitioners, swine health experts in laboratories and governments must be prepared to work together openly and closely.

During the first days or few weeks, sharing information is key to limiting spread of emerging swine health issues. CWSHIN strives to provide a semi-private forum for sharing information among key players in the region.

The CWSHIN objectives also include sharing information on response to regional diseases. This quarter, lessons learned from dealing with an emerging disease and experience with safely shipping PED recovered pigs to slaughter were discussed.

Practical tips from the report

The flu season has started early this year so, it’s time for the flu-shot to protect people who work with pigs, their families and the pigs.

If you see sudden deaths or higher than normal repeats or abortions call your swine practitioner (veterinary clinic).

High-risk traffic facilities and connected transport continue to be a risk for PED and other diseases such as Strep zoo

  1. Focus on transport biosecurity for cull sows and market hogs
  2. Infected manure is a possible route of PED introduction so take extra precautions when spreading possibly infected manure

CWSHIN Report on Swine health surveillance for Quarter 2 (April to June) 2019 –26 August 2019

There is reason to be extra vigilant because we have three potentially emerging diseases and two of these diseases can mimic foreign animal diseases.

  1. A new streptococcus disease in sows/gilts has been reported in MB in 2019 (Strep equi zooepidemicus)
  2. Two cases of a disease with substantial lesions have reported in BC/AB (Clostridium septicum). This disease is worthy of attention because it can mimic African and Classical Swine Fever.
  3. Two cases of Seneca Valley virus A (SVA) have been reported in Ontario. This disease can mimic Foot and Mouth Disease

Practical tips from the report

Contact your swine practitioner if you see:

  1. sudden deaths in gilts/sows or an increase in abortions and conception rates (Strep zoo)
  2. blisters (SVA)

Good biosecurity around transport of animals including cull sows and market hogs to abattoirs is critical to limit the spread of these potentially emerging diseases.

Links to Farmscape articles based on the report

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GOVERNANCE

The CWSHIN Board of Directors is comprised of representatives from each of the western pork boards, with the western provincial agriculture ministries holding ex-officio status. The Manager of CWSHIN reports to the Board and oversees all of the organization’s activities. Within the organization, there are two working groups providing additional leadership and guidance: the Quarterly Team and the Scientific Technical Group.

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Management

Dr. Jette Christensen DVM, PhD, joined CWSHIN in April 2018.

Dr. Christensen has 30 years of experience in all phases of national animal health monitoring, surveillance and disease control programs gained from field work in Denmark and Canada, including:

  • General veterinary practice as one of two veterinarians serving more than 110 swine producers
  • National animal surveillance in Denmark with: Danish veterinary Service (veterinary authority); Danish Bacon and Meat Council (national swine industry); Veterinary Laboratory (national reference laboratory)
  • National surveillance in Canada with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) from 2001-2017
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