2026 is proving that viruses don’t take vacations, writes Jennifer Shike. She shares a conversation with three swine health experts* who share their biggest health surprises of the year so far and the specific, high-stakes gaps in biosecurity that are leaving herds vulnerable. These topics are among those discussed:
- Early and repeated viral sequencing is an essential component of outbreak management
- Increasing virulence among PRRS strains and the challenge of managing co-factors
- The pseudorabies outbreak underscored vulnerabilities in biosecurity and highlighted the ongoing risk posed by viral reservoirs, particularly at the wildlife–domestic interface.
- Technology is increasingly helping us identify health challenges earlier and make more informed decisions BUT data alone is not enough.
Source: PORK, July 16, 2026. Link.. Technology can help us detect trends and disease signals more quickly, but it still requires experienced health teams to interpret that information and translate it into meaningful actions that improve herd health and strengthen disease prevention efforts.
Biosecurity and biocontainment remain our most important tools. Producers should focus on redundant layers of protection, with special attention to transportation biosecurity, lines of separation, mortality management and human-mediated transmission across sites.”
INSIGHTS: Whether directly involved or not with swine production, keeping tabs on how swine producers, veterinarians and academics approach the dynamics of herd health, disease cofactors, fomite management and biosecurity provides perspectives for managing health, safety and zoonotic risks in other species.
* Megan Bollin, DVM and technical services veterinarian at Norbrook, Micah Jansen, DVM and director of the Zoetis U.S. Pork Technical Services; and Brooke Kitting, DVM and senior veterinarian at Seaboard Foods
Also see: PRRS virus risk has changed, The Pig Site, June 29, 2026. Link. Pharmgates’s Nic Lauterbach, DVM explains how increasing virulence and the loss of seasonality are reshaping disease management strategies.
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