An important concern is to address whether US commercial swine herds are susceptible to the new swine origin (S/O) H1N1 influenza virus.
Monthly Archives: May 2009
Evaluation of Unexpected Positive Results from a Commercial ELISA for Antibodies to PRRSV
Unexpected positive results from the widely used IDEXX ELISA for the detection of antibodies to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) may confound investigations of the disease. Supplementing the ELISA with blocking agents and the use of IgG purified from serum samples had no effect on the unexpected positive results, suggesting that they were due to an antibody-antigen reaction. Simple competitive and blocking ELISAs were developed by modifying the IDEXX ELISA, and they and an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) were used to examine PRRSV antibodies in 33 antibody-negative, 88 antibody-positive and 73 unexpectedly positive sera. All the unexpectedly positive sera were negative by IFAT, and 89.0 percent were negative by both the competitive and blocking ELISAs. The competitive ELISA (97.7 percent) and the blocking ELISA (96.5 percent) detected more positive sera than the IFAT (90.9 percent). These results show that both ELISAs are capable of distinguishing positive and unexpectedly positive sera, and suggest that most of the unexpected positive signals are false-positives.
2009 Annual Meeting Keynote Videos
The first two of the 2009 Annual Meeting keynote presentations are now being uploaded to http://www.aasv.org/members/only/video/ These are Dr. John Thomson’s talk titled “Securing our Future” — the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture — and Dr. Larry Firkins’s presentation, “Getting There from Here” — the Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture.
Pork Producers Support Animal ID System
The U.S. pork industry strongly supports a mandatory national animal identification system, said David Kempen, a pork producer from Poteet, Texas, at a U.S. Department of Agriculture listening session on the topic held in Austin.
H1N1 Vaccine taking Longer than Expected, WHO says [Edited]
The World Health Organization said Tuesday that it is taking longer than anticipated to prepare the seed stock needed to manufacture a vaccine for the A/H1N1-2009 influenza virus.
Vector-Borne Diseases to be Featured at 113th USAHA/AAVLD Annual Meeting
Emerging concerns of vector-borne diseases continue to face livestock industries globally. The United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) and American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) are prepared to take a hard look at the United States ability to address these diseases. During the annual meeting of USAHA and AAVLD a Joint Plenary Session entitled “Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases: What’s the Risk?” has been scheduled. The Annual Meeting will be held October 8-14, 2009 in San Diego, Calif., at the Town and Country Resort and Hotel.
Influenza in Swine and the A/H1N1-2009 – A Historical Perspective
The following is a brief explanation of the origin of swine influenza in North America and the A/H1N1-2009 influenza strain currently circulating among the human population in over 40 countries.
Tee up for the AASV Foundation on August 19
Mark your calendar now for the AASV Foundation’s annual Midwest Golf Outing, to be held Wednesday, August 19 at Fox Ridge Golf Club in Dike, Iowa. Golfers attending the outing can expect a warm welcome at this new location, as the club is owned by AASV member Dr. Steve Menke, who practices in Ottumwa, Iowa. Dr. Menke’s son, Michael, manages Fox Ridge and serves as its head golf professional. The 18-hole championship course is considered one of northeast Iowa’s best public golf courses, featuring the variety of fine golf grasses typically seen only on private courses.
Compare Injection Technologies at AASV Summer Conference – Register Now!
Vaccines and antimicrobials are key resources available to veterinarians, and optimizing their use will be the focus of one session at the AASV Summer Conference in Ames, Iowa on June 22-23. During the “Injection Technologies” session, attendees will be provided with an overview of the current literature comparing needle-free and needle-based technologies. Then they’ll participate in hands-on demonstrations using a variety of injection equipment to observe the injection pattern and distribution of dye within actual tissues. Four companies – AcuShot, Allflex, Neogen and PrimaTech – will be providing equipment and participating in these demonstrations. Attendees can expect to learn how the equipment works, potential costs, and how it might be implemented within their practice or production system.
AASV to Hold Session at World Pork Expo
The AASV will hold a members-only session again this year at the World Pork Expo. This year’s topic will be the recent A-H1N1 influenza outbreak. Participants will learn about the latest research, surveillance and response plans, vaccine challenges and the impact the disease has had on the U.S. swine industry. The session will provide ample opportunity for open discussion about the interaction between animal health and public health interests and the swine veterinarian’s role and responsibilities in the face of an influenza outbreak.