Despite a national effort to eradicate the disease, some Iowa hog farms are still reeling from the effects of pseudorabies on their animals.

In January 1999, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman declared a federal emergency because of pseudorabies.

At that time, Glickman said in his declaration, “Steady progress towards eradication of pseudorabies has been made, and now only a little over 1,000 infected swine herds remained in the United States. By the end of the year 2000, pseudorabies should be completely eradicated from the United States.”

Pseudorabies is a contagious and infectious disease of livestock that is usually related to swine. If this disease is picked up by other animals such as cats, dogs, cattle or sheep, it often causes a quick death.

Swine often show no symptoms and can carry the disease for a long period of time without anyone knowing it.

It is caused by a herpes virus and is also known as Aujeszky’s disease, mad itch and infectious bulbar paralysis. It has no effect on humans.

Each state has been working toward eliminating the disease, and some states have been successful in getting rid of it completely.

Brad Thacker, associate professor of swine medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine, said Iowa had been making progress, but in the last six months, the state has had many outbreaks.

“It is hard to know if this is just a hiccup in the eradication program or if the last six moths is really a severe case of heartburn,” Thacker said.

Jerry Kunesh, professor of swine medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine, travels to farms and has tested hog operations in local counties including Story, Boone and Polk.

Kunesh said Story County has had a few outbreaks of the disease, but the numbers of cases are fewer than some other counties in Iowa.

Some swine farms hire private veterinarians to do disease testing, and sometimes outbreaks may not be reported, Kunesh said.

“I think it would help if there were some public records on where outbreaks have occurred,” he said. “I think you have to know what places have been quarantined.”

Weather has also affected the pseudorabies outbreaks, Thacker said.

“I think the mild winter that we have had and the foggy weather favor the transmission of the disease,” Thacker said. “Those days that were really foggy may have kept the sun from killing the virus.”

Thacker said a lax attitude about pseudorabies might have also contributed to the problem.

“Because we were near the point of eradication, the treatments became relaxed,” Thacker said. “At this point, we know we have taken a step backwards.”

Kunesh said it is hard for producers to tell if the hogs are infected with disease because they rarely show symptoms. On some occasions, they will stop eating for a short period of time or may have a cough.

“The problem is that basic symptoms of pseudorabies are the same as other diseases, and if pseudorabies is present, it may be overlooked,” Kunesh said.