Want to Learn About Oral Fluids?

June 21, 2011 — 

In a collaborative effort, the AASV, USDA, National Pork Board and ISU Center for Food Security and Public Health, have developed an educational video on the collection and submission of oral fluids in swine. The project was funded by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The swine industry is moving towards utilizing oral fluids for disease surveillance and diagnosis at the herd level (rather than serology) where appropriate. Given the pig's natural curiosity and willingness to chew on objects placed in the pens, a large percentage of the animals in the herd can be sampled non-invasively with very little labor. The majority of pigs in a pen can be sampled by leaving the ropes in the pens for as little as 20 - 30 minutes. Following relatively minor enhancements, lab tests currently used for serology can be used on oral fluids. Testing methodologies are currently being validated for many endemic swine diseases, including PRRS, PCV2 and SIV, as well as foreign animal diseases.

The video and poster describe the materials necessary for oral fluid collection, how to train pigs to chew on ropes and how to submit the samples. All AASV members in the U.S. will be receiving a DVD and wall poster in the mail over the next week. The materials will also be available to all members online in the near future.