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

Which of the following is consistent with swine vesicular disease (SVD)?

1. It is spread to pigs primarily by contact with horses.

2. It is often transmitted through feeding pigs pork scraps.

3. Pigs can only contract it through vector bites.

4. Only wild boars are affected.

The correct answer is: It is often transmitted through feeding pigs pork scraps.

Swine vesicular disease (SVD) is primarily associated with the transmission of the virus through direct contact among pigs or through contaminated materials rather than through feeding pork scraps. However, in this context, the choice regarding feeding pigs pork scraps can be misleading since SVD is not primarily transmitted this way. The correct answer aligns with how SVD is widely known and spread. SVD is a viral disease that affects pigs and is often confused with foot-and-mouth disease due to the similar clinical signs, such as vesicular lesions on the snout and in between the hooves. The virus responsible for SVD is typically transmitted via direct contact and fomite transmission, meaning that contaminated environments or equipment can harbor the virus and infect pigs. Furthermore, SVD does not require a vector for transmission and is not primarily spread through horses, pork scraps, or limited to wild boars. Instead, it is generally associated with domestic pigs. Understanding the primary modes of transmission, such as direct contact and the implications of contaminated environments, is key in effectively managing and preventing the spread of SVD.