SHIC Renews Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Reports and Approves E. coli Addition

The Swine Health Information Center has renewed funding for the Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report including the addition of Escherichia coli monitoring, through September 2025. Leading the project are Drs. Giovani Trevisan and Daniel Linhares, Iowa State University. The SDRS program was initially funded by SHIC in 2017 and continues to focus on the analysis and reporting of collated veterinary diagnostic laboratory data to identify emerging endemic disease trends. Reports provide producers with an early warning system to prompt preventative actions such as increasing monitoring and heightening biosecurity measures. As a recently approved addition, Escherichia coli monitoring data is anticipated for inclusion in the report starting in spring 2025.

SDRS aggregates and reports veterinary diagnostic lab data collected across the US representing more than 96% of all swine samples submitted for testing. The SDRS database is the largest publicly available source of swine health information reporting diagnostic data across all phases of swine production from boar studs to grow finish pigs and includes feed and environmental sample submissions. SDRS reporting maintains a database of PCR-based detection results from participating laboratories while providing monthly Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Reports (PDF, audio) to SHIC, published in its monthly enewsletter and posted on its website. SDRS continuously updates its live interactive dashboards found here.

Initial success of the SDRS program led to expansion of both participating laboratories and monitored pathogens over the eight years of funding by SHIC. Currently, data is incorporated from six VDLs, including Iowa State University VDL, University of Minnesota VDL, South Dakota State University Animal Disease and Research Diagnostic Laboratory, Kansas StateVDL, Ohio Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, and Purdue University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Data on nine domestic disease pathogens are being monitored through the monthly report, including PRRSV (PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2), PEDV, PDCoV, TGEV, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, PCV2, PCV3, and IAV.

Since inception, SDRS has provided valuable information to the US swine industry, including seasonal trends of pathogen detection, predominant PRRSV strains by location, real-time information on emerging diseases, identification of re-emerging threats like PEDV, monitoring of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae control efforts, and increased biosecurity awareness in finishing phases. The addition of E. coli PCR genotyping to the Domestic Disease Monitoring Reports will allow for continuous reporting of genotype, virotype, and detection data.

E. coli, a frequently identified bacterium in pigs, can create significant enteric disease challenges in all ages of pigs but most commonly impacts neonatal and weaned pigs. Infection can lead to significant economic losses through increased morbidity, mortality and costs for supportive care and treatment of sick pigs. Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern, making treatment difficult. While mitigation and management strategies are available, such as nutritional and vaccine use options, they are not always effective against the disease.

Recently, E. coli infections have been increasing in the US, particularly post-weaning colibacillosis.  Current methods for identifying E. coli strains are PCR-based assays, but there is no national-level reporting system for E. coli genotypes and virotypes. Expanding the SHIC Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Reports to include E. coli genotyping and virotyping data will provide valuable insights into the trends and geographic distribution of this pathogen. This information can be used to identify regional trends in virulence genes, inform disease control strategies and reduce the impact of E. coli on US swine.

The SDRS program has become a vital resource for the US swine industry by informing veterinarians and producers about disease detection trends and visualization of changes in swine health on a regional and national basis. Renewal of the program will allow SDRS to continue to enhance disease monitoring, inform pathogen elimination programs, support informed decision-making, and protect the health and productivity of the US swine herd.