The United States has confirmed its first case of Aujeszky’s disease (pseudorabies) on a commercial swine farm since 2004. The outbreak was detected on April 22, 2026, at a facility near Eldora in the state of Iowa.
According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, five out of 11 susceptible animals tested positive for the virus. These were boars that had been transported from an outdoor facility in Texas, where the infection was also confirmed.
Specialists from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, together with authorities in Iowa and Texas, are currently conducting an epidemiological investigation to determine possible transmission routes and identify any additional at-risk farms.
As reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health, the affected animals were isolated and culled, and it has been confirmed that no semen from these animals was distributed either domestically or internationally.
Aujeszky’s disease, caused by suid herpesvirus 1, affects pigs of all ages and can lead to a wide range of clinical signs, including respiratory symptoms and reproductive disorders such as abortions and stillbirths. Young pigs often exhibit neurological symptoms, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea, while older pigs may develop coughing, pneumonia, and in some cases blindness.
Despite generally effective disease control in the United States, the virus persists in wild pig populations, creating a risk of transmission to domestic herds, particularly in outdoor production systems. This is considered a likely factor in the current case.
Enhanced surveillance measures will be implemented in line with the national pseudorabies eradication program.
PigUA.info, based on materials from pigprogress.net