A year after an outbreak of pseudorabies at two farms in Clark County and the DNR says it's still on the lookout for the disease.
DNR wildlife biologist Michelle Windsor says there have been no new confirmed cases of the disease. One reason, she says, is because the state continues to closely test pigs to prevent another outbreak from happening. She says the threat remains, but they have been able to minimize the risk.
Another reason that the state has been pseudorabies free is that last year's outbreak helped raise awareness among farmers that the threat still exists. She says farmers are actively trying to protect their livestock.
Windsor says pseudorabies and other animal-born illnesses will remain a threat as long as there are wild animals. Feral pigs help spread the disease which can make adult pigs sick and kill newborns but is not harmful to humans. Windsor says the DNR's war on feral pigs was boosted after Governor Doyle last month signed a bill into law making it illegal to possess or release the animals.
Last year's cases involved a herd of 300 swine near Greenwood and 27 more near Loyal. The cases were the first confirmed nationally in a commercial herd since 2003.
