Classical Swine Fever Monitoring and Analysis After Cessation of Vaccination
Hui-Yu Chen
Abstract
Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), a significant disease listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), is classified as List A infectious animal disease in Taiwan. It mainly affects the lymphoid tissue and vascular endothelial cells of pigs, causing immunosuppression and systemic hemorrhage. The disease first appeared in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. The implementation of a vaccination program successfully brought the epidemic under control, with no cases reported for over 19 years. Consequently, Taiwan initiated a CSFV eradication program in 2021, which involved a three-phase gradual cessation of vaccination. On May 29, 2025, Taiwan was officially recognized by the WOAH as a Classical swine fever-free country. This report describes the surveillance data submitted to WOAH following the cessation of vaccination, covering both active surveillance (pig farms, rendering plants, slaughterhouses, boar semen, and captive wild boars) and passive surveillance (discarding dead pigs, wash-ashored dead pigs, and wild boars). A total of 886 sampling events covering 15,378 pigs were tested, with no detection of the wild-type CSFV. Furthermore, over 90% of 16-to-20-week-old finishing pigs had negative CSFV neutralizing antibody titers (less than 1:8). In conclusion, after more than a century of efforts to prevent and control classical swine fever, the wild-type virus no longer exists in Taiwan's environment. However, with neighboring countries still being endemic areas, it is crucial to implement continue surveillance and border control measures to prevent the reintroduction of the disease.
Investigation of blood parasites infection status in wildlife and domestic cattle in recent years
Yu-Ching Chuang
Abstract
In this research, the common carnivores and herbivore in the low mountain of Taiwan (investigation period: 2010-2025), including Formosan masked palm civet, Formosan ferret-badger and Formosan muntjac, and the protected carnivores including leopard cat, crab-eating mongoose and Formosan black bear, were examined for their blood parasites. The discovered species in these carnivores and herbivore contained parasites belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa, order Piroplasmida: include Babesia spp., Theileria spp., Cytauxzoon spp., and Hepatozoon spp. which belong to the order Eucoccidiorida. These species have similar life-cycle, i.e., they utilize tick as the final host and vertebrate as the intermediate host. Their clinical manifestations, however, are quite diverse.
The blood parasites discovered in domestic cattle included：Theileria spp. two hemotropic Mycoplasma (Candidatus Mycoplasma haematobovis and Mycoplasma wenyonii), and a case of Colpodella sp. (flagellate) infection, which pathogenicity was not clear.
The aim of this research is to investigate the infection status of blood parasite commonly found in wild animals and domestic cattle, and to discuss the possible damage which these parasites may cause, and control methods for them. Although blood parasites are common in wild animals and domestic cattle, relevant researches in Taiwan are scarce. Although not a systematic study, the information provided in this research can provide future research directions to wildlife and large animal veterinarians, and facilitate conceptualization of possible conservation and control strategies.
Report on the 2025 Laboratory Training for AMR Surveillance in Terrestrial / Aquatic Food Animals in Japan
I-Wen Chen
Abstract
The training program was funded and supported by the World Organization for Animal Health Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific (WOAH RRAP), in collaboration with Japan’s Rakuno Gakuen University (RGU) and the National Veterinary Assay Laboratory (NVAL). Ranging from July 7 to 10, 2025, the program aimed to strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance for terrestrial and aquatic food animals. The course included an overview of the Japanese Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring system (JVARM), key epidemiological principals, and hands-on training in various AMR testing techniques such as broth microdilution, disk diffusion, and agar dilution. The participants came from Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Nepal. Through this training, the participants not only enhanced their understanding of AMR monitoring and research methodologies, but also exchanged practical experiences with researchers from other countries. These interactions are expected to contribute to the advancement of AMR surveillance and response strategies.