vaccination – Swine in Minnesota

Recent study pinpoints opportunities to better control swine flu

New research led by researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) reveals that farmworkers vaccinating and weaning 3-week-old piglets can indirectly and significantly contribute to the spread of the influenza A virus (IAV) on swine farms. This information can help pig producers target biosecurity measures more strategically, curbing swine flu transmission and enhancing swine production outcomes.

Farm management practices associated with influenza contamination of people working in swine farms

We hope all our US readers had a great Memorial Day weekend. Today, we are talking about farm practices and flu in farm workers. This recent publication from the Torremorell lab is available in open access on the Porcine Health Management journal website.

Take-away points

Naïve piglets becoming infected with influenza before weaning participates in the endemic status of sow farms.
Numerous interactions between piglets and farm workers happen pre-weaning (e.g. processing, vaccinations)
Between 16% and 94% of the samples taken post-activity from farm workers’ hands and clothing were PCR positive for influenza.
Activities during the peri-weaning period had almost 6 times higher risk of flu detection.

Evaluating the economic impact of an autogenous influenza vaccine in the finishing phase with a pre-post analysis utilizing closeout data

This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.

In today’s Science Page Kaci Way, Jessica Higgins, Todd Wolff, Derald Holtkamp and Lynette Holeman share the results of a study evaluating the benefit of influenza vaccines in finishing pigs.

Evaluation of internal farm biosecurity measures combined with sow vaccination to prevent influenza A virus infection in groups of due‑to‑wean pigs

Today we are sharing a new publication from the Torremorell’s lab regarding the impact that internal biosecurity measures can have on influenza A infection in piglets, when combined with sow vaccination. The article is available in open access on the Vet Research journal’s website.

Vaccination decreases the risk of influenza A virus reassortment but not genetic variation in pigs

Today we are sharing a recent publication from the Torremorell lab in Microbiology and Infectious Disease regarding the impact of swine influenza A vaccination on the virus reassortment and on the genetic variation observable in pigs. The full article is available in open access on the journal’s website.