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CFIA warns of U.S. outbreaks of pseudorabies in commercial swine

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is seen in Ottawa on June 26, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued a notice to Canadian consumers about reports of outbreaks of pseudorabies in commercial swine in the United States.

Pseudorabies, also known as Aujesky’s disease, doesn’t sicken humans but it can infect animals like cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, mink, foxes, raccoons and rats, causing fatal rabies-like signs and severe itching, according to the CFIA.

The CFIA states that shipments that have already been certified “will be permitted to enter Canada.”

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The United States Department of Agriculture will not be issuing export certificates for the following products until further notice:

  • uncooked edible pork snouts
  • uncooked edible porcine blood
  • raw inedible porcine by-products (with the exception of raw pig ears, which are still allowed)
  • untreated inedible porcine blood products
  • raw porcine manure

Other porcine commodities, such as edible pork meat and raw pet food containing pork products, do not pose a risk of transmission of this disease and these imports may continue as usual.

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Mexico suspended imports of some American pork products due to pseudorabies concerns on Thursday.

The USDA reported on April 30 that routine testing ​detected pseudorabies virus antibodies in five boars at a commercial facility in Iowa, which came from an outdoor facility in Texas.

It was the first known U.S. case of pseudorabies in commercial swine ​since 2004.

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