SHIC Rapid Response Corps Up, Beta-Testing, and Ready

December 13, 2017 — Paul Sundberg

The Swine Health Information Center's Rapid Response Program, designed for epidemiological investigations of new emerging, transboundary, and endemic swine diseases, is well underway. Carried out by the Rapid Response Corps, a team of specifically-trained industry experts to analyze the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in affected herds, the Program is being tested in the field using PED and perhaps other endemic disease outbreaks. If you're signed up for the Corps, finish by completing the training. If you're in Regions 1 or 2, we need more Corps members.

Training for Corps members began in August 2017. To date, 28 professionals have signed the Memorandum of Understanding to become part of the team and 18 have participated in the online training, now ready to engage in testing of the Program. Those who have applied and been selected to be trained will receive an honorarium for their time when the online modules are completed. SHIC will arrange funding to support Corps members and their work, including travel expense reimbursement and appropriate consultation fees when called to action.

The resources gathered for the Rapid Response Corps online training are available for all, regardless of interest in becoming a team member. By registering, you can access the training modules which serve as an excellent aid for developing your own rapid response protocol.

What are Rapid Response Corps credentials?

• A veterinarian consultant with specific expertise in swine veterinary medicine and epidemiology
• University veterinary Extension and/or subject matter expert(s)
• Veterinary Extension for swine
• Swine diagnostician to take the lead in sample collection for further diagnostics in cases of outbreaks of unknown etiologies
• Swine epidemiologist to take the technical lead for epidemiological surveys
• Persons with relationships in niche or alternative production.
• 4-H, FFA or exhibition veterans

The Rapid Response Program is designed to cover the US with six defined regions. Due to high interest and participation, no additional Corps members are needed in Region 3 at this time. Interested parties in Regions 1 and 2 are encouraged to go to the online training site, register, and become part of the Corps. Multiple people from each of the six regions are helping so there is the option to accept or reject the invitation to participate in a particular outbreak investigation. The six regions are small enough so Corps members from within the region can drive to outbreaks and be on the site within 72 hours of permission being given by the affected producer.

When responding to a disease issue, Corps members will:

• Conduct on-site epidemiological investigations including sample collections and submission
• Review standard epidemiological investigation forms, summary reports, and database
• Offer data collected as a primary source of information for rapid response in the event of an outbreak

Contact SHIC to Learn More

To learn more about the SHIC Rapid Response Program and to volunteer for the Rapid Response Corps, contact Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg (psundberg@swinehealth.org) or the program coordinator, Dr. Derald Holtkamp (rrc@iastate.edu).

Funded by America's pork producers to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd, the Swine Health Information Center focuses its efforts on prevention, preparedness, and response. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research for the benefit of swine health. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Paul Sundberg at psundberg@swinehealth.org.

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Paul Sundberg, Executive Director, Swine Health Information Center