The summer heat used to offer a seasonal reprieve from viral pressure, but 2026 is proving that viruses don’t take vacations. With porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) positivity continuing to be relatively high and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) above expected levels in June, producers are being urged to rethink every ‘layer’ of their operation—from transport sanitation to the movement of labor across sites.
Swine health experts share the biggest health surprises of the year so far and the specific, high-stakes gaps in biosecurity that are currently leaving herds vulnerable. Whether you are managing endemic pathogens or preparing for foreign animal disease threats, this conversation between 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 offers a roadmap for protecting your bottom line.
What diseases are causing the most concern in your area right now?
Bollin: PRRSV remains No. 1 in western Illinois and is especially difficult to manage due to its heightened virulence and enhanced transmission dynamics. Consequently, depopulation strategies continue to be evaluated earlier in the course of outbreaks than in previous years. Early and repeated viral sequencing has become an essential component of outbreak management to identify trends toward divergence, which is characteristic of highly pathogenic, rapidly evolving lineages. These insights are critical for making timely, informed decisions that optimize control efforts and minimize both health and economic impacts.
Jansen: Right now, the biggest concern around disease I have not only for where I am located in Illinois but also throughout many other areas in the U.S., is the amount of PRRSV activity we are seeing, specifically with variants from the L1C.5 family. It is extremely important to continue to monitor for these viruses.
Kitting: There continues to be significant focus on endemic pathogens such as PRRSV, PEDV, and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCOV), given their ongoing impact on production efficiency and pig health. Increasing virulence among PRRS strains, limited medical management options, and the continued challenge of managing episodic PEDV and PDCOV outbreaks add to the complexity of disease control. Together, these factors reinforce the need for comprehensive prevention strategies, strong biosecurity and rapid response capabilities across production systems. At the same time, foreign animal disease threats remain a top priority. Diseases such as New World screwworm (NWS), African swine fever (ASF), and classical swine fever (CSF) pose substantial risks due to their potential for rapid spread and severe economic consequences. These concerns continue to drive emphasis on preparedness, surveillance and strict biosecurity measures across the industry.
What is one thing producers need to pay more attention to right now regarding swine health?
Bollin: These pathogens continue to evolve, making disease prevention more challenging than ever. With PRRSV in particular, 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, and mortality management. Labor challenges have increased movement of people across sites, making human-mediated transmission a greater risk. As a result, building a strong culture of biosecurity is essential. Veterinarians and farm managers play a critical role in educating teams on not only what protocols to follow, but why they matter, which ultimately improves compliance and strengthens disease prevention efforts.
Jansen: PRRSV and PEDV transmission continue to expose some of the biosecurity limitations we have as an industry, especially when it comes to wean to market biosecurity.
Kitting: Summer should not lead to a relaxation in biosecurity practices. While seasonal changes can shift focus, strict and consistent biosecurity remains essential year-round. Maintaining vigilance—through protocols such as controlled access, sanitation and monitoring—continues to be one of the most effective ways to prevent disease introduction and protect herd health.
What has been the biggest health surprise of 2026 so far?
Bollin: For me, the biggest health surprise of 2026 has been the discovery of pseudorabies in Iowa. As an industry, we had become fairly comfortable with pseudorabies as a disease of the past following the tremendous efforts that led to its elimination from the U.S. commercial swine herd. Its reappearance serves as an important reminder that some of our most concerning disease threats have not disappeared entirely. It highlights the need to remain vigilant and continue applying the lessons learned from past eradication efforts. While pseudorabies may no longer be top-of-mind for many producers, its return is a valuable reminder that disease prevention requires constant attention and that we cannot afford to become complacent.
Jansen: PRRS activity in areas that have had little to no activity before; additionally, it seems like PRRS activity is not slowing down the way we typically see it start to as the weather warms up.
Kitting: One of the most notable health surprises in 2026 was the re-emergence of pseudorabies in a commercial swine herd. Given the longstanding success of control and regional elimination efforts in commercial populations, the detection of new cases was both unexpected and concerning. This outbreak has underscored vulnerabilities in biosecurity and highlighted the ongoing risk posed by viral reservoirs, particularly at the wildlife–domestic interface. It has renewed focus on the importance of surveillance, rapid diagnostics, and robust herd-level prevention strategies to mitigate further spread and safeguard herd health.
Are you seeing technology and data being used to predict the onset of heath challenges earlier?
Bollin: Technology is increasingly helping us identify health challenges earlier and make more informed decisions. Enhanced surveillance of national and regional diagnostic data, combined with advances in artificial intelligence (AI), is improving our ability to monitor pathogen trends, identify emerging genetic variants and assess the risk of high-impact strains before they become widespread. However, data alone is not enough. Its value comes from turning it into actionable information. 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.
Jansen: I think the industry has been trending towards using data to predict the onset of health challenges more and more; for example, with PRRSV outbreaks in sow herds, we can sometimes see pre-weaning mortality and the number of aborts per 1000 sows going up prior to detection of actual virus in the herd. However, there are some limitations to this depending on the quality of data being captured, the timing in which it is entered and verified, and even the notification process for when production numbers start to get out of the range of “normal.” Additionally, some variants of the PRRS virus such as the L1C.5 variants are sometimes causing so much sow mortality that it may impact how many actual aborts are occurring. Because of these potential limitations, we need to make sure that even as we utilize data or other technology to predict health challenges, we also make sure we constantly have eyes on pigs to see what they are telling us from a clinical presentation standpoint.
Kitting: Yes, there is increasing use of technology and data to support earlier detection and improved decision-making around health challenges. While AI and precision livestock farming tools may not fundamentally change how we physically raise pigs in the near term, they are playing a growing role in enhancing how we interpret data and respond to emerging issues. Systems that successfully adopt and integrate these technologies—such as real-time monitoring, data analytics, and predictive modeling—will be better positioned to identify patterns sooner and act proactively. Ultimately, the value lies in improved decision-making, earlier intervention and more efficient management of herd health.
