The US classical swine fever surveillance program targets which populations?

• A. Sick animals submitted to diagnostic laboratories
• B. Slaughter condemned at slaughter
• C. Swine on farms that feed pig swill (waste-feeding)
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

The program targets groups most likely to reveal infection, using multiple surveillance pathways to catch CSF early. Sick pigs brought to diagnostic laboratories are monitored because they show signs that could indicate CSF and need laboratory confirmation. Slaughter that results in condemnation flags animals with suspicious lesions or signs at processing, providing a sentinel signal from a cross-section of the population. Farms that feed swill (waste food) to pigs are also monitored because waste feeding is a known risk factor for introducing CSF virus into a herd. By including sick-animal submissions, slaughter-condemned animals, and high-risk swill-feeding operations, the surveillance system maximizes its ability to detect CSF if it ever appears. All of these populations are therefore targeted.