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

Which of the following measures were implemented in response to the 2013 PED outbreak in the U.S.?

1. Public health campaigns for farmers

2. Ordering affected farms to create management plans

3. Quarantine measures on the movement of pigs

4. Increased surveillance of commercial pork exports

The correct answer is: Ordering affected farms to create management plans

The implementation of management plans by affected farms in response to the 2013 Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) outbreak was a crucial step in controlling the disease and mitigating its impacts. These management plans were designed to provide clear guidelines for biosecurity practices, management of infected animals, and measures to prevent further spread of the virus. By requiring farms to develop these plans, health authorities aimed to ensure that producers were taking appropriate actions to protect their livestock and the overall health of the swine population. This measure demonstrated a proactive approach to veterinary public health, targeting the management of risk factors associated with the outbreak. While public health campaigns, quarantine measures, and increased surveillance of pork exports are also important considerations in disease outbreak responses, the specific requirement for affected farms to create management plans directly targeted the containment and control of PED at the source. It addressed the immediate needs of farms already experiencing infection and laid the groundwork for more comprehensive biosecurity protocols that could help prevent future outbreaks.