SHIC Participating in Mosquito-Borne JEV Webinar Series this Summer

The Center for Food Security & Public Health (CFSPH) at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine is hosting a three-part webinar series this summer to raise awareness of emerging and transboundary mosquito-borne diseases. The Swine Health Information Center is collaborating with CFSPH by participating in the webinar series. SHIC’s interest in monitoring and mitigating the threat of mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus grew when outbreaks occurred in Australian piggeries in 2022. Research, preparedness, and prevention activities soon followed and continue today.

JEV is a mosquito-borne virus which has waterbirds as a natural reservoir host but can infect many species, including swine, horses and humans. While JEV is not currently in the US, incursion risk remains a concern given the virus’s recent global expansion. The presence of JEV in the US could have devastating outcomes for the swine industry because of its severe disease presentation in neonatal piglets and pregnant sows. Learn more about JEV as an emerging threat to the US swine industry through the SHIC JEV fact sheet.

Thanks to funding from USDA NADPRP, CFSPH’s “One Health, One Threat: Preparing for Japanese Encephalitis Virus” webinar series brings together animal health, public health, vector control, apiculture, and emergency response professionals. These webinars will explore detection, prevention, and coordination using One Health response strategies to help individuals and agencies prepare for this virus should it be introduced to the US. Attendees will be encouraged to interact with presenters through an active question and answer component.

All are welcome to join these important conversations, which will be held:

• July 16 at 11 a.m. CT
• August 20 at 2 p.m. CT

September 9 at 11 a.m. CT

Each live, interactive webinar has been submitted for approval to provide one hour of continuing education credit by the Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine and the Oklahoma State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. Veterinary personnel in California, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, and other states may be able to obtain CE credit using the Course Completion Certificate emailed to registered attendees after each live webinar. Register now to strengthen preparedness across your network: Japanese encephalitis preparedness.

The Swine Health Information Center and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research funded six research projects totaling $1.3M to enhance US prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response capabilities for Japanese encephalitis virus. Results can be found by searching for JEV on the SHIC website. As a transboundary disease risk for US introduction, JEV is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitos and can cause reproductive failure, abortions, stillbirths and weak piglets in swine breeding herds.

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research 

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement the U.S. Department Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment. 

Swine Health Information Center 

The Swine Health Information Center, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, protects and enhances the health of the US swine herd by minimizing the impact of emerging disease threats through preparedness, coordinated communications, global disease monitoring, analysis of swine health data, and targeted research investments. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Megan Niederwerder at [email protected] or Dr. Lisa Becton at [email protected].