Transboundary Emerging and Exotic Animal Disease/ Exotic Animal Disease Practice Exam

What is NOT typically associated with an outbreak of a foreign animal vesicular disease?

1. Vesicles on the feet of pigs and cows

2. Vesicles on the snout of pigs but not horses

3. Pigs that are exclusively fed commercial feed

4. Pigs that are fed scraps along with commercial feed

The correct answer is: Pigs that are exclusively fed commercial feed

The rationale for identifying "Pigs that are exclusively fed commercial feed" as the correct answer lies in the understanding of how foreign animal vesicular diseases typically spread and manifest. Outbreaks of these diseases, such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease, involve a variety of transmission routes, and dietary practices among pigs can play a significant role. Foreign animal vesicular diseases are often characterized by clinical signs such as vesicles on the feet and snout of pigs, as well as on other livestock, depending on the disease in question. Choices that reference the presence of these vesicles are indicative of the disease and its common signs. Animals fed scraps or non-commercial feed are more likely to come into contact with contaminated materials, increasing the risk of disease transmission. When pigs are exclusively fed commercial feed, they are less likely to encounter potential sources of the pathogen, such as infected animals or their products; hence, they are inherently at a lower risk for outbreaks. In contrast, pigs that are fed scraps may be exposed to infected materials, thereby facilitating the spread of vesicular disease, making "exclusively fed commercial feed" the least associated with outbreaks. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the importance of understanding nutritional management as a factor in the risk of disease