Transcript Classical Swine Fever

Risk Communicator Training
for Foreign Animal & Zoonotic Disease
Defense
Scenario 3
Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
Developed by
Susan Gale, DVM
Center for Animal Health and Food Safety
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
In cooperation with
Risk Communication Project
Purpose of Scenario
•
Apply Risk Communication principles introduced in
training module to a fictional event involving Classical
Swine Fever.
•
Apply knowledge of zoonotic and foreign animal disease
outbreaks to craft appropriate messages
•
Create risk and crisis communication response
strategies from the perspective of key players
Scene 1
August 30, 2009
Swine Sale Barn
Anytown, USA
Gilts Exposed to CSF Virus
• Producer A brings 40 gilts to market at a sales barn
• A worker at the sales barn has a pork sausage
sandwich in his jacket pocket. He bought the sausage
in a country with CSF and it was not found at customs
on his return to the US
• The worker moves animals around the sales barn
pens. The sandwich falls into the pen with Producer
A’s gilts and several gilts eat some of the sandwich.
Gilts Auctioned at Sales Barn
• Ten gilts are bought by
Farmer B
• Thirty gilts are bought
by Farmer C
Farmer B’s Gilts
• Farmer B keeps ten
gilts in an isolation
area on his farm
• Farmer B maintains
strict bio-security
measures
Farmer C’s Gilts
• Farmer C puts fifteen
of his purchased gilts
in an open pen next to
the hog finishing barn
• Farmer C transports
the other fifteen gilts to
his cousin, Farmer D’s,
farm
Farmer D’s Gilts
• Farmer D put his gilts
into a pen in a barn
shared with some
feeder steers
• These gilts are the
only swine on Farmer
D’s premises
• Generic pig picture
DVM Visits Farm D
• Farmer D calls out
DVM X the next day to
look at a lame steer
• DVM X has to cross
through the gilt pen to
get to the steer
• DVM X calls on four
other swine farms that
day
Detection: Initial Signs of Disease
• Two days later Farmer B
notices the isolated gilts are not
eating well and are huddling
together
• Several gilts have fevers.
Farmer B calls DVM Y to
examine the gilts
Detection: Initial Signs of Disease
• DVM Y observes that one gilt has
red skin blotches and is very ill,
near death
• DVM Y suspects Classical Swine
Fever and calls the State
Veterinarian
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz csf/photo.htm
Photo credit: John MacKinnon
Diagnosis and Confirmation of CSF
CSF DIAGNOSIS
• The State Veterinarian arrives that same day and
collects samples to test for CSF
• Onsite testing is positive for CSF, samples are sent to
the Federal Laboratory in Plum Island, NY for
confirmation, results won’t be known for 24-48 hours
CSF Virus
Key Facts about CSF
• Classical Swine Fever does not cause
illness in people
• People can’t get sick from eating pork, but
pigs can
• A CSF outbreak may result in a shortage of
pork and pork products
• CSF can cause major economic losses to
pork producers in the US if the disease
becomes established again
Risk Communication Part 1
• Gilts bought at a sales barn are sick and
initial testing is positive for CSF,
confirmation tests are pending
• What if this happened in your county? Are
you a Risk Communicator?
• Who is your audience? What sources of
information do they have access to?
• How do you address the unknown aspects
of this situation
Risk Communicators
Players
Actions
State Veterinarian
Investigate source of
CSF virus
Livestock Sale Barn
Cooperate with
investigation
Local Health
Gather information
Professionals, DVMs, from credible sources
MDs, Public Health
Message
Outbreak Response
• Federal veterinarian investigates CSF
on Farm B and traces source of gilts
back to Anytown Livestock Sale Barn
and Producer A
• Further review of the sales barn records
locates the gilts sold to Farms C & D
and the four swine farms visited by
DVM X
Outbreak Response
• Final test results are positive for CSF
• To prevent further spread of the disease,
all swine premises within a six mile radius
of any of these locations, whether infected
with CSF virus or not, are depopulated
Risk Communication Part 2
• Develop a message about this outbreak that you
want to deliver to your audience
• What potential consequences can you imagine
might result from this outbreak and/or the outbreak
response?
• What questions might your audience ask?
• How can you reduce the fear or outrage reaction
of your audience?
Risk Communicators
Players
Actions
Area Veterinarian in
Charge
Report investigation
findings
Board of Health
spokesperson
Assure public of no risk
of disease among
people
Pork Board
spokesperson
Assure public that pork
is safe to eat
Local health
professionals, DVMs,
MDs
Answer questions
posed by the public
Message
Anticipating Questions
Public:
• Can I get sick from eating pork?
Agriculture producers:
• Are my animals safe?
• How can insure that I’m not bringing the virus back
to my farm?
Media:
• How soon will you have the outbreak contained?
Recovery
• Eradication efforts contain the outbreak to
a five county area. Time from detection to
control is three months
• Thousands of hogs are destroyed as a
result of the CSF outbreak
• Despite assurances that pork is safe to
eat, consumption drops by 15%
Risk Communication Part 3
• What is your role as a Risk Communicator
once the outbreak has been contained?
• How would your message change?
• How might you be better prepared for the
next outbreak event?
10 Best Practices in Risk Communication
1.
Risk and crisis communication is an ongoing process
2.
Conduct pre-event (pre-crisis) planning
3.
Foster partnerships with public
4.
Listen to public’s concern & understand audience
5.
Demonstrate honesty, candor & openness
6.
Collaborate and coordinate with credible sources
7.
Meet the needs of the media and remain accessible
8.
Communicate with compassion, concern & empathy
9.
Accept uncertainty and ambiguity
10. Give people useful actions to do -- must do, should do, could do