Arnold C. Taft
USDA APHIS, Veterinary Service

On April 1, 2001 there were 102 Pseudorabies quarantined herds in the United States. Thirty-eight States plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have advanced to Stage V (FREE) Status. An additional four States have no infected herds and are in Stage IV. Four States are now in Stage III/IV. The States of California, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin have advanced to Stage V (FREE) status this year.

Newly infected herds continue to be found in Iowa, Nebraska, Southern Minnesota and in South Dakota. The numbers are much smaller than in the previous years and reflect the enormous effort being exerted in Iowa to finalize the eradication of pseudorabies.

The Accelerated Pseudorabies Eradication Program (APEP) continues to aid the rapid removal of infected animals or herds. Thus far in FY 2001, 62 herds have depopulated. A total of 68,475 animals were involved at a cost $4,002,122, 97. An additional 42 herds participated in a test and removal of 1,013 positive animals at a cost of $96,504.04. The indemnity related expenses (trucking etc.) have been $415,316.00. Enhanced surveillance activities to locate any remaining infected herds have been $3,474,866.00. The total APEP expenditures has been $7,988, 809.01.

Major packer surveillance continues to provide national surveillance of breeding herds at improved levels but at less than the targeted 20 per cent level. A February report from the collections points in Iowa, Kentucky, and Tennessee show the level of positives animals to be only 0.19 percent from 19,785 samples collected. One year ago the level of infection was 1.40 percent positive. A pilot study is under way to evaluate the potential value of sampling butcher hogs by a "meat juice" test. This may prove to be a more efficient way to survey disease prevalence in butcher swine.

The "interstate movement of feeder swine in production systems" has been published, comments received, and the docket is still in the final rulemaking process.

A national action plan for feral/wild swine has been written, budgets are being developed, and State programs are being developed. The awareness of problems created by feral/wild swine has been greatly heightened and programs to diminish the threat of transmission of disease back to domestic swine seems to be moving forward.