Swine vets asked to report H1N1 suspicions to state officials

National Report

-- The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) is asking veterinarians to reach out to state health officials first if they suspect an H1N1 outbreak in a swine herd.

Working with pork industry groups as well as the Centers for Disease Control and the United States Department of Agriculture, the AASV has developed an action plan that puts state animal health officials (SAHOs) at the forefront of disease decision-making.

Following a report of possible infection, SAHOs would work confidentally with the veterinarian and the producer to investigate and watch the swine herd and send samples to a lab for confirmation.

If H1N1 is confirmed, pig movements from the herd would be restricted until clinical signs -- as judged by the veterinarian -- were resolved.

Sick animals are not be shipped to processing facilities, but recovered pigs can move normally without restriction.