Enhanced passive surveillance for early detection of African and classical swine fevers.

African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF) are transboundary animal diseases (TADs) of pigs. Much effort and resources are regularly put into preventing these diseases' introduction in free areas. Passive surveillance activities bring the highest chances for the early detection of TAD incursions because they are routinely and widely conducted at farms, and because these activities focus on the time between introduction and when the first sample is sent for diagnostic testing.

Assessing the value of PCR assays in oral fluid samples for detecting African swine fever, classical swine fever, and foot-and-mouth disease in U.S. swine.

Introduction: Oral fluid sampling and testing offers a convenient, unobtrusive mechanism for evaluating the health status of swine, especially grower and finisher swine. This assessment evaluates the potential testing of oral fluid samples with real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) to detect African swine fever, classical swine fever, or foot-and-mouth disease for surveillance during a disease outbreak and early detection in a disease-free setting.

Methods: We used a series of logical arguments, informed assumptions, and a range of parameter values from literature and industry practices to examine the cost and value of information provided by oral fluid sampling and rRT-PCR testing for the swine foreign animal disease surveillance objectives outlined above.

Evaluation of glucose response to 3 types of insulin using a continuous glucose monitoring system in healthy alpacas.

Background: Persistent hyperglycemia is common in alpacas and typically requires insulin administration for resolution; however, little is known about alpacas' response to different insulin formulations.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of 3 insulin formulations on blood glucose concentrations and the use of a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system in alpacas.

Animals: Six healthy alpacas.

Evaluation of four point-of-care glucose meters in alpacas.

Purpose: Hospitalized alpacas are often hyperglycemic requiring frequent blood glucose testing.

Objectives: To compare the performance of 4 brands of glucometers with a laboratory-based analyzer (LCA) over a range of glucose concentrations in alpacas.

Animals: Four healthy male alpacas.