The genomic landscape of swine influenza A viruses in Southeast Asia.

Swine are a primary source for the emergence of pandemic influenza A viruses. The intensification of swine production, along with global trade, has amplified the transmission and zoonotic risk of swine influenza A virus (swIAV). Effective surveillance is essential to uncover emerging virus strains; however gaps remain in our understanding of the swIAV genomic landscape in Southeast Asia. More than 4,000 nasal swabs were collected from pigs in Cambodia, yielding 72 IAV-positive samples by RT-qPCR and 45 genomic sequences. We unmasked the cocirculation of multiple lineages of genetically diverse swIAV of pandemic concern. Genomic analyses revealed a novel European avian-like H1N2 swIAV reassortant variant with North American triple reassortant internal genes, that emerged approximately seven years before its first detection in pigs in 2021. Using phylogeographic reconstruction, we identified south central China as the dominant source of swine viruses disseminated to other regions in China and Southeast Asia. We also identified nine distinct swIAV lineages in Cambodia, which diverged from their closest ancestors between two and 15 B.P., indicating significant undetected diversity in the region, including reverse zoonoses of human H1N1/2009 pandemic and H3N2 viruses. A similar period of cryptic circulation of swIAVs occurred in the decades before the H1N1/2009 pandemic. The hidden diversity of swIAV observed here further emphasizes the complex underlying evolutionary processes present in this region, reinforcing the importance of genomic surveillance at the human-swine interface for early warning of disease emergence to avoid future pandemics.

Social contact patterns relevant for infectious disease transmission in Cambodia.

Social mixing patterns are key determinants of infectious disease transmission. Mathematical models parameterised with empirical data from contact pattern surveys have played an important role in understanding epidemic dynamics and informing control strategies, including for SARS-CoV-2. However, there is a paucity of data on social mixing patterns in many settings. We conducted a community-based survey in Cambodia in 2012 to characterise mixing patterns and generate setting-specific contact matrices according to age and urban/rural populations. Data were collected using a diary-based approach from 2016 participants, selected by stratified random sampling. Contact patterns were highly age-assortative, with clear intergenerational mixing between household members. Both home and school were high-intensity contact settings, with 27.7% of contacts occurring at home with non-household members. Social mixing patterns differed between rural and urban residents; rural participants tended to have more intergenerational mixing, and a higher number of contacts outside of home, work or school. Participants had low spatial mobility, with 88% of contacts occurring within 1 km of the participants' homes. These data broaden the evidence-base on social mixing patterns in low and middle-income countries and Southeast Asia, and highlight within-country heterogeneities which may be important to consider when modelling the dynamics of pathogens transmitted via close contact.

Exploring why animal health practices are (not) adopted among smallholders in low and middle-income countries: a realist framework and scoping review protocol.

Background: Improving livestock health is considered critical to address poverty, malnutrition and food insecurity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Modifications of livestock management practices is also increasingly recognized as an important strategy to mitigate global threats such as climate change and novel disease emergence. Smallholders are, however, under various constraints which prohibit them from altering health practices for livestock and little is known about how the adoption of these practices may be promoted. The proposed scoping review aims to systematically map evidence around "what practices are (not) adopted by smallholders under what circumstances, how and why?." Method and analysis: We conducted initial scoping searches to broadly define types of animal health practices relevant for smallholders in LMICs and formulated search terms. A scoping review protocol was designed and registered. A systematic literature search will be conducted using electronic databases including CAB Abstract, Scopus, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science Core Collection. Gray literature will be searched from AGRIS and Standards for Supporting Agricultural Livelihoods in Emergencies. Articles in English, pertaining to the animal health practices considered highly relevant will be considered eligible for inclusion. Articles will be screened at two stages by two independent reviewers; screening of titles, abstracts, and keywords, followed by full-article screening. The first reviewer will review 100% of the articles at both stages. The second reviewer will review a random sample of 20% of the articles at both stages. Any disagreements will be resolved using inputs from the third reviewer. A thematic analysis will be conducted to catalog contexts and mechanisms for adoption and discussed under a realist framework. Discussion: Understanding of the mechanisms underlying the adoption of animal health practices by livestock smallholders in LMICs is crucial for successful implementation of interventions including those which are based on a One Health approach. This review will identify the extent of this knowledge across disciplines and inform future research priorities for the design of effective and feasible interventions which can contribute toward Sustainable Development Goal 2. Registration: This protocol is registered within the Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/FUQAX).

Epidemiology of brucellosis in cattle and dairy farmers of rural Ludhiana, Punjab.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease imposing significant impacts on livestock production and public health worldwide. India is the world's leading milk producer and Punjab is the state which produces the most cattle and buffalo milk per capita. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of bovine brucellosis to provide evidence for control of the disease in Punjab State, India. A cross-sectional study of dairy farms was conducted in humans and livestock in rural Ludhiana district using a multi-stage sampling strategy. The study suggests that brucellosis is endemic at high levels in cattle and buffalo in the study area with 15.1% of large ruminants testing seropositive and approximately a third of dairy farms having at least one animal test seropositive. In total, 9.7% of those in direct contact with livestock tested seropositive for Brucella spp. Persons that assisted with calving and/or abortion within the last year on a farm with seronegative livestock and people which did not assist with calving/abortion had 0.35 (95% CI: 0.17 to 7.1) and 0.21 (0.09 to 0.46) times the odds of testing seropositive compared to persons assisting with calving/abortion in a seropositive farm, respectively. The study demonstrated that persons in direct contact with cattle and buffalo in the study area have high risk of exposure to Brucella spp. Control of the disease in livestock is likely to result in benefits to both animal and public health sectors.

Changes in For-Profit Medication-Assisted Therapy Clinics in an Appalachian City.

OBJECTIVES: This study is a follow-up to previous research regarding buprenorphine medication-assisted therapy (MAT) in Johnson City, Tennessee. For-profit MAT clinics were surveyed to determine changes in tapering practice patterns and insurance coverage during the last 3 years. METHODS: Johnson City for-profit MAT clinics; also called office based opioid treatment centers, were surveyed by telephone. Clinic representatives were asked questions regarding patient costs for therapy, insurance coverage, counseling offered onsite, and opportunities for tapering while pregnant. RESULTS: All of the MAT clinics representatives indicated that tapering in pregnancy could be considered even though tapering in pregnancy is contrary to current national guidelines. Forty-three percent of the clinics now accept insurance as compared with 0% in the 2016 study. The average weekly cost per visit remained consistent. CONCLUSIONS: The concept of tapering buprenorphine during pregnancy appears to have become a standard of care for this community, as representatives state it is offered at all of the clinics that were contacted. Representatives from three clinics stated the clinics require tapering, even though national organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Society of Addiction Medicine do not recommend this approach. Although patients who have government or other insurance are now able to obtain buprenorphine with no expense at numerous clinics, the high cost for uninsured patients continues to create an environment conducive to buprenorphine diversion.

The prevalence and risk factors for human Brucella species infection in a cross-sectional survey of a rural population in Punjab, India.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is an important neglected zoonosis. Effective cattle vaccines are available but are infrequently used in India, where rural households commonly own one or two cattle as sources of protein and income. We assessed the prevalence of infection and risk factors in humans. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional sero-survey in randomly selected individuals in 60 villages in Punjab. Infection prevalence was assessed by positive Rose Bengal testing or immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Risk factors were adjusted for potential confounding using multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Of the 1927 subjects who were approached, 93% agreed to participate. Age-standardised prevalence for Brucella infection was 2.24% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.61 to 3.11). More than 60% of households kept cattle and 10% assisted with calving or abortions. Nearly all individuals consumed boiled cow/buffalo milk from their own or neighbours' cattle and 3.3% consumed goat's milk. There was a 2.18 times increased odds (95% CI 0.96 to 4.95) of infection with calving/abortions and a 4.26 times increased odds (95% CI 1.33 to 13.6) with goat's milk but not bovine milk consumption. CONCLUSIONS: An association with calving/abortions and goat's milk consumption was seen. Brucella vaccination of household livestock would reduce the risk to humans in such settings. Additional measures include biosecurity training around calving/abortions, education to boil all milk and for healthcare workers to test for brucellosis.

Production diseases in smallholder pig systems in rural Lao PDR.

Pigs in Lao People's Democratic Republic are important for income and food security, particularly in rural households. The majority of pigs are reared in smallholder systems, which may challenge the implementation of any disease control strategies. To investigate risk factors for pig production diseases in such farming systems in the country a serological survey was conducted during 2011. A total of 647 pigs were sampled, accounting for 294 households in Luang Prabang and 353 in Savannakhet province representing upland and lowland, respectively. The results demonstrated that pigs in Lao PDR had antibodies against erysipelas (45.2%), CSF (11.2%), PRRS (8.6%), FMD O (17.2%) and FMD Asia 1, (3.5%). Differences in the housing systems influenced disease risk, for example, penned pigs had reduced odds of FMD and CSF, compared to those in scavenger systems. Pigs owned by farms using a sanaam (a communal area where pigs are kept for some time of the year) had 3.93 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-14.7) times the odds of having pigs seropositive for FMD. Farms on which sudden piglet deaths had been experienced were more likely to have pigs seropositive for FMD O and erysipelas. These diseases constrain the development of village farming and the wider livestock industry due to their impact on productivity and trade. Vaccination coverage for FMD and CSF was low and there was a lack of national funding for livestock disease control at the time of the study. Further investigation into sustainable low-cost control strategies for these pathogens is warranted.

Update on the status of leptospirosis in New Zealand.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that poses public health and ecological threats worldwide. In New Zealand (NZ), incidence of the disease is relatively high compared to other developed countries. The aim of this review was to describe the epidemiological status, ecological risk of leptospirosis and prevention in NZ. Disease notification data for leptospirosis in humans in NZ from 2010 to 2015 were collected from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research database. These data were supported by a literature review of epidemiological studies in human and animal populations. During this six-year period, exotic serovars of Leptospira interrogans sv Australis and Leptospira kirschneri sv Grippotyphosa were identified in patients who had travelled abroad to Samoa (Pacific Ocean) and Thailand, respectively. Most cases of leptospirosis were recorded in New Zealanders of European ethnicity, followed by Maori people. Males had a nine-fold increased risk compared to females mostly due to occupation. The risk of leptospirosis increased gradually with the age, with a peak in the 40 to 49-year-old age group, after which it decreased. Workers in meat-processing and farming industries appeared at highest-risk of occupational exposure compared with other risky occupations such as hunters, veterinarians, technicians, stock truck drivers and lake workers. Other cases were also attributed to outdoor exposures or travelling overseas. Highest disease notification rates occurred in the West Coast region of the South Island (average annual incidence 9.7 per 100,000 people), followed by Whanganui region (8.2 per 100,000) and Hawke's Bay region (8 per 100,000) in the North Island. Vaccines currently available for animals are specific for cattle, sheep, deer and dogs and do protect against all serovars present in NZ. The development and use of molecular diagnostics is crucial for specific identification of Leptospira isolates and informing deployment of efficient vaccines.

Integrated cost-benefit analysis of tsetse control and herd productivity to inform control programs for animal African trypanosomiasis.

BACKGROUND: Animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT) and its tsetse vector are responsible for annual losses estimated in billions of US dollars ($). Recent years have seen the implementation of a series of multinational interventions. However, actors of AAT control face complex resource allocation decisions due to the geographical range of AAT, diversity of ecological and livestock systems, and range of control methods available. METHODS: The study presented here integrates an existing tsetse abundance model with a bio-economic herd model that captures local production characteristics as well as heterogeneities in AAT incidence and breed. These models were used to predict the impact of tsetse elimination on the net value of cattle production in the districts of Mambwe, in Zambia, and Faro et Déo in Cameroon. The net value of cattle production under the current situation was used as a baseline, and compared with alternative publicly funded control programmes. In Zambia, the current baseline is AAT control implemented privately by cattle owners (Scenario Z0). In Cameroon, the baseline (Scenario C0) is a small-scale publicly funded tsetse control programme and privately funded control at farm level. The model was run for 10 years, using a discount rate of 5%. RESULTS: Compared to Scenario C0, benefit-cost ratios (BCR) of 4.5 (4.4-4.7) for Scenario C1 (tsetse suppression using insecticide treatment of cattle (ITC) and traps + maintenance with ITC barrier), and 3.8 (3.6-4.0) for Scenario C2 (tsetse suppression using ITC and traps + maintenance with barrier of targets), were estimated in Cameroon. For Zambia, the benefit-cost ratio calculated for Scenarios Z1 (targets, ITC barrier), Z2 (targets, barrier traps), Z3 (aerial spraying, ITC barrier), and Z4 (aerial spraying, barrier traps) were 2.3 (1.8 - 2.7), 2.0 (1.6-2.4), 2.8 (2.3-3.3) and 2.5 (2.0-2.9), respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that the profitability of the projects is relatively resistant to variations in the costs of the interventions and their technical efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: It is envisioned that the methodologies presented here will be useful for the evaluation and design of existing and future control programmes, ensuring they have tangible benefits in the communities they are targeting.

Past and Ongoing Tsetse and Animal Trypanosomiasis Control Operations in Five African Countries: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Control operations targeting Animal African Trypanosomiasis and its primary vector, the tsetse, were covering approximately 128,000 km2 of Africa in 2001, which is a mere 1.3% of the tsetse infested area. Although extensive trypanosomiasis and tsetse (T&T) control operations have been running since the beginning of the 20th century, Animal African Trypanosomiasis is still a major constraint of livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a systematic review of the existing literature describing T&T control programmes conducted in a selection of five African countries, namely Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Uganda and Zambia, between 1980 and 2015. Sixty-eight documents were eventually selected from those identified by the database search. This was supplemented with information gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted with twelve key informants recruited in the study countries and selected based on their experience and knowledge of T&T control. The combined information from these two sources was used to describe the inputs, processes and outcomes from 23 major T&T control programmes implemented in the study countries. Although there were some data gaps, involvement of the target communities and sustainability of the control activities were identified as the two main issues faced by these programmes. Further, there was a lack of evaluation of these control programmes, as well as a lack of a standardised methodology to conduct such evaluations. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Past experiences demonstrated that coordinated and sustained control activities require careful planning, and evidence of successes, failures and setbacks from past control programmes represent a mine of information. As there is a lack of evaluation of these programmes, these data have not been fully exploited for the design, analyses and justification of future control programmes.

Endemicity of Zoonotic Diseases in Pigs and Humans in Lowland and Upland Lao PDR: Identification of Socio-cultural Risk Factors.

In Lao People's Democratic Republic pigs are kept in close contact with families. Human risk of infection with pig zoonoses arises from direct contact and consumption of unsafe pig products. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Luang Prabang (north) and Savannakhet (central-south) Provinces. A total of 59 villages, 895 humans and 647 pigs were sampled and serologically tested for zoonotic pathogens including: hepatitis E virus (HEV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and Trichinella spiralis; In addition, human sera were tested for Taenia spp. and cysticercosis. Seroprevalence of zoonotic pathogens in humans was high for HEV (Luang Prabang: 48.6%, Savannakhet: 77.7%) and T. spiralis (Luang Prabang: 59.0%, Savannakhet: 40.5%), and lower for JEV (around 5%), Taenia spp. (around 3%) and cysticercosis (Luang Prabang: 6.1, Savannakhet 1.5%). Multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical clustering of principal components was performed on descriptive data of human hygiene practices, contact with pigs and consumption of pork products. Three clusters were identified: Cluster 1 had low pig contact and good hygiene practices, but had higher risk of T. spiralis. Most people in cluster 2 were involved in pig slaughter (83.7%), handled raw meat or offal (99.4%) and consumed raw pigs' blood (76.4%). Compared to cluster 1, cluster 2 had increased odds of testing seropositive for HEV and JEV. Cluster 3 had the lowest sanitation access and had the highest risk of HEV, cysticercosis and Taenia spp. Farmers which kept their pigs tethered (as opposed to penned) and disposed of manure in water sources had 0.85 (95% CI: 0.18 to 0.91) and 2.39 (95% CI: 1.07 to 5.34) times the odds of having pigs test seropositive for HEV, respectively. The results have been used to identify entry-points for intervention and management strategies to reduce disease exposure in humans and pigs, informing control activities in a cysticercosis hyper-endemic village.

Evidence-based supervision: Tracking outcome and teaching principles of change in clinical supervision to bring science to integrative practice.

Supervision is the primary way in which psychotherapy trainees develop the skills of applying interventions, conceptualizing cases, and practicing self-reflection. Although critical to professional development, the nature and objectives of supervision can vary widely among supervisors, depending on idiosyncratic differences and the orientation used. As clinical psychology moves toward integrating science and practice, the need to teach students evidence-based principles of therapeutic change and how to use outcome measures to enhance progress is paramount. Furthermore, with hundreds of "evidence-based" interventions and widely diverse supervisors, the fact that cross-cutting interventions and common factors carry the burden of most therapeutic change is frequently lost. In this article, we outline an experimental training system that is being tested as a means to teach student-therapists to use empirically established moderators (treatment factors) and mediators of change to tailor their interventions to client differences. This experimental approach is derived from Systematic Treatment Selection (Beutler, Clarkin, & Bongar, 2000), a cross-cutting system that can be used to aid individualized treatment planning as well as to track and use client outcomes in clinical supervision within a graduate-level training clinic.

Concerns about the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based psychotherapies in the Veterans Affairs health care system.

Comments on the article by B. E. Karlin and G. Cross (see record 2013-31043-001). The present authors have concerns stemming primarily from how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) defines evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs). The article by Karlin and Cross alluded to some of the controversies surrounding EBPs and why they have not been broadly implemented in many settings. For example, EBP guidelines often are perceived as mechanistic and only appropriate for certain patient populations; and, indeed, for many troubled individuals, EBPs do not work or require adjustment. A group of 19 current and recent past presidents of three APA divisions (12, 29, and 50) and the North American and International Societies for Psychotherapy Research has identified several questions, the answers to which may be important to increase the optimization of such guidelines.

Common, specific, and cross-cutting psychotherapy interventions.

There are certain strategies and techniques clinicians use in session that produce significant change, at least when they are guided by an effective strategy. The following illustrates several broadly based classes of interventions along with their supporting empirically derived principles of effecting strategic change. The interventions include procedures to (a) enhance the relationship, (b) develop and maintain a therapeutic contract, and (c) adjust treatment to match to certain unique patient qualities. Classes of interventions and the strategic principles which drive them, rather than specific techniques, were the point of focus of this article out of the observation that the effects of specific techniques are therapist dependent, whereas classes of interventions produce more cross-cutting effects (see Beutler et al., Guidelines for the systematic treatment of the depressed patient. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000; Beutler and Harwood, Prescriptive psychotherapy: A practical guide to systematic treatment selection. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000). Additionally, classes of interventions can more effectively be fit to classes of moderating therapist and patient variables to allow for specialized treatment planning. In conclusion, the readers are directed to an online self-report assessment tool (www.Innerlife.com), which provides additional assistance in identifying and using interventions at this level of strategy and the research which supports them.

Brucella spp. infection in large ruminants in an endemic area of Egypt: cross-sectional study investigating seroprevalence, risk factors and livestock owner's knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs).

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is regarded as one of the major zoonotic infections worldwide. It was first reported in Egypt in 1939 and is now endemic, the predominate species of Brucella in cattle and buffalo in Egypt is B. melitensis. The aim of the study was to estimate seroprevalence of Brucella spp. in cattle and buffalo reared in households in an Egyptian village, identify risk factors for animals testing seropositive and to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of livestock owners with regards to brucellosis. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a village in Menufiya Governorate of Egypt. In June and July 2009, 107 households were selected using systematic sample and all lactating cattle and buffalo present in the household were sampled and tested for antibodies against Brucella spp. In addition, a questionnaire collecting information on potential risk factors for Brucella spp. infection in cattle and buffalo was administered to the household member responsible for rearing the livestock. Between December 2009 and February 2010 households were revisited and a second questionnaire regarding KAPs associated with brucellosis was administered. RESULTS: True individual and household seroprevalence were estimated to be 11.0% (95% CI: 3.06% to 18.4%) and 15.5% (95% CI: 6.61% to 24.7%), respectively. Cattle and buffalo kept in a household with sheep and goats had 6.32 (95% CI: 1.44 to 27.9) times the odds of testing seropositive for Brucella spp., compared to cattle and buffalo that were not. Most participants in the study stated that livestock owners assist in the parturition of ruminants without wearing gloves and that some farmers sell animals which they suspect are Brucella infected to butchers or at market. Many participants made their livestock's milk into cheese and other dairy products without pasteurising it. CONCLUSIONS: Brucellosis was endemic at high levels, in the current study. Although livestock owners had good general knowledge of brucellosis, they still appeared to participate in high-risk behaviours, which may contribute to the high seroprevalence in the area. Veterinarians, public health authorities and other community leaders need to collaborate to control the disease in animals and to manage the risk of human exposure.

Risk of Toxocara canis eggs in stray and domestic dog hair in Egypt.

The aim of the study was to assess whether the hair of stray and domestic dogs in Egypt was contaminated with the eggs of the zoonotic parasite Toxocara canis, and also to identify risk factors for T. canis for contamination. Paired samples of hair and feces were collected from 53 stray and 47 domestic dogs, and hair samples were obtained from a further 11 stray and 9 domestic dogs. All samples were examined to identify T. canis eggs and, if eggs were found, their maturation stage. Eggs were identified in 26.6% of stray and 10.7% of domestic dog's hair samples. A significantly increased risk of embryonated T. canis eggs in hair samples was found in stray dogs (p=0.04), stray dogs had 3.18 (95% CI: 1.04-9.74) times the odds of having T. canis eggs present compared with domestic dogs. There was also a significant difference (p=0.02) between the mean quantity of eggs per gram in stray (77.6±6.54) and domestic (48.7±6.65) dog's hair. Fecal examination found a T. canis egg prevalence of 35.8% and 21.3% in stray and domestic dogs, respectively. As no domestic dogs which were positive from hair samples had negative fecal samples, this indicates that the presence of T. canis eggs in hair is probably due to self contamination. Two stray dogs had positive hair samples but negative fecal samples indicating that contamination may also be environmental. As both non-embryonated and embryonated T. canis eggs were found in the hair of domestic dogs, direct contact with dogs may be a potential risk factor for transmission of T. canis eggs to humans.

BPEX Pig Health Scheme: a useful monitoring system for respiratory disease control in pig farms?

BACKGROUND: Respiratory diseases account for significant economic losses to the UK pig industry. Lesions indicative of respiratory disease in pig lungs at slaughter e.g. pneumonia and pleuritis are frequently recorded to assess herd health or provide data for epidemiological studies. The BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS) is a monitoring system, which informs producers of gross lesions in their pigs' carcasses at slaughter, enabling farm-level decisions to be made. The aim of the study was to assess whether information provided by the BPHS regarding respiratory lesions was associated with respiratory pathogens in the farm, farm management practices and each other. RESULTS: BPHS reports were obtained from a subset of 70 pig farms involved in a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008-09 investigating the epidemiology of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome. The reports were combined with data regarding the presence/absence of several pathogens in the herd and potential farm-level risk factors for respiratory disease. Principal component analysis (PCA) performed on BPHS reports generated three principal components, explaining 71% of the total variance. Enzootic pneumonia score, severe pleurisy and acute pleuropneumonia had the highest loadings for the principal component which explained the largest percentage of the total variance (35%) (BPHS component 1), it was thought that this component identifies farms with acute disease. Using the factor loadings a score for each farm for BPHS component 1 was obtained. As farms' score for BPHS component 1 increased, average carcass weight at slaughter decreased. In addition, farms positive for H1N2 and porcine reproductive and respiratory disease virus (PRRSV) were more likely to have higher levels of severe and mild pleurisy reported by the BPHS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study found statistical associations between levels of pleurisy recorded by BPHS at slaughter and the presence H1N2 and PRRSV in the herd. There is also some evidence that farms which submit pigs with these lesions may have reduced productivity. However, more research is needed to fully validate the scheme.