KSU, Biosecurity Research Institute researchers target African swine feverOctober 9, 2018Kansas State University researchers and the Biosecurity Research Institute have banded together to stop the spread of African swine fever virus to the U.S. The disease was reported in China in August and is positioned to spread throughout Asia and the Caucuses region of Eastern Europe. If African swine fever enters the U.S., it could cause billions in economic losses to swine and other industries, and devastate trade and international markets, animal disease experts say. There is no vaccine or cure for the disease, which causes hemorrhagic fever and high mortality in pigs (it does not infect humans). "African swine fever's introduction into China, poses an increased threat to the U.S.," said Stephen Higgs, PhD, director of the Biosecurity Research Institute. "Introduction of African swine fever virus into the U.S. would have an enormous impact on our agricultural industry. Research, education, and training at the Biosecurity Research Institute help to improve our understanding and preparedness for this threat." In 2013, the Biosecurity Research Institute became the first nonfederal facility to be approved for work with African swine fever virus, Higgs said. The university projects at the Biosecurity Research Institute are part of research that can transition to the National …
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KSU conducts first US livestock study with Japanese encephalitis virusJune 20, 2018North American domestic pigs could be susceptible to Japanese encephalitis virus infections, according to a study by Kansas State University (KSU) College of Veterinary Medicine researchers. The study, believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S., was published recently in Scientific Reports. "Collectively, our study demonstrates for the first time that North American domestic pigs can contribute to the Japanese encephalitis virus transmission cycle as amplifying hosts," said So Lee Park, a third-year veterinary student and concurrent doctoral student in pathobiology who was first author of the study. Japanese encephalitis virus is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus that has human and veterinary health significance. The virus is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia and the western Pacific, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus can be maintained in a cycle between mosquitoes and vertebrates, mainly pigs and wading birds. While most human infections are mild, a small percentage of people develop encephalitis. About 1 in 4 cases of Japanese encephalitis are fatal, the CDC stated. The virus in swine can cause encephalitis in piglets and reproductive diseases in mature adult pigs. The KSU study suggests …
