The Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) has partnered with the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) to support a near real-time monitoring system for swine diseases around the world. Now, practitioners, scientists, allied industry personnel, and producers in the US have the opportunity to submit information on outbreaks and epidemics happening worldwide using the spontaneous reporting tool.

This information, when verified, will be included in Swine Disease Global Surveillance Reports, prepared by University of Minnesota (UMN) staff. The report is a systematic way to monitor new or emerging diseases around the globe to help keep the US pork industry informed of potential risks. An international network of collaborators spontaneously reporting disease events will contribute to the development of this near real-time global monitoring system for swine diseases.

The program's goal is early detection and warning of disease events that may affect the US swine industry, such as new outbreaks of Foreign Animal Diseases or emergence of a disease in a country with remarkable participation in international trade. The spontaneous reporting tool is a pilot project to nimbly supplement that information and increase awareness in the swine industry. Collaborators on the Global Disease Monitoring Report at UMN emphasize this new reporting tool can be a helpful addition to the official OIE health reports, as it becomes an international network of collaboration and the information of potential threats come as early as possible.

Once submitted, information shared via the spontaneous reporting tool will be reviewed by the group of experts who prepare the Swine Disease Global Surveillance Reports, and analyzed by epidemiologists and local network for credibility. Confirmed and checked data will be included in bi-monthly reports prepared by UMN and shared by SHIC, aiming to inform and prepare the US. Unconfirmed rumors will not be published. The spontaneous reporting tool is a Qualtrics® form and all submissions go into the UMN database and will be reviewed by the team. Those submitting information are asked to enter their names.

If you are aware of epidemics or outbreaks overseas of diseases not currently in the US or that could potentially be a threat to the US swine industry, please share your insights. To be most helpful, your submission will include more than just the name of the disease but additional data such as mortality, morbidity, and impacts on production rates.

Your support and participation in the global disease monitoring effort is appreciated. The ultimate goal is preparedness and capturing the insights of those in the swine industry will enhance present efforts.

To read past reports or access the spontaneous reporting tool, visit z.umn.edu/SwineDiseaseSurveillance.

-Paul Sundberg, Executive Director, Swine Health Information Center

This story was adapted from the American Association of Swine