They don’t just go away: Demands and successes in combating persistent domestic diseases of food-producing livestock

Authors: Ackermann, Mark

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Background: Investigators at the USDA/ARS-National Animal Disease Center (NADC; established 1961) have contributed significantly to the eradication of livestock diseases (e.g., classical swine fever (hog cholera), bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency) and developed strategies for treating and preventing milk fever, porcine parvovirus, pathogenic Escherichia coli, bovine leukemia virus, swine influenza virus and others. Study Purpose/Research Question: Despite these successes, many conditions persist. The reasons for this persistent is often multifactorial and while there is continued success in reducing the incidence and prevalence it is imperative to maintain research investigations and the capacity to take on additional, yet unforeseen challenges as they arise. Methods/Approach/Study Design and Results/Findings: Bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis are present only in narrow regions of the United State yet at these sites, there are numerous factors affecting persistence including spread by wildlife. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus -pdm09- has passed from humans to swine nearly 380 times since 2009 and there are continued changes in viral genomes. The emergence and spread of H5N1 in cattle also demonstrates the continued threat of influenza viruses to livestock health and food safety. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are spreading insidiously in populations of both wild white tail deer and elk due to factors yet poorly understood. Digital dermatitis is a common cause of lameness in dairy cattle and has spread for decades in cattle and also wildlife (elk) and yet its etiology and etiopathogenesis is not clear. Food pathogens such as Salmonella can persist in poultry/swine operations. Although the pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides mycoides (Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia) was eradicated from the United States in the 1800’s, it persists in many countries of Africa and elsewhere causing devasting losses to cattle production. NADC’s accomplishments have greatly reduced the impact of many of these and other livestock disease and its ongoing research in making further advancements. Conclusions. Managerial decisions on livestock facility operations, environmental factors, changes research priorities, encroachment of humans into wildlife habitat, and stresses on waterways and water resources add to the complexity of these conditions and contribute to persistence and potential for the evolution of additional complex pathogenic agents. Research discoveries have decreased disease incidence. Further research work is needed to reduce, prevent and potentially eliminate these and similar other threats and address the issues that allow their persistence.