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1. Two more deer found with chronic wasting disease [TX]
Seven cases now reported in Texas
By Pilar Arias, Reporter; David Ibanez, Web - Managing Editor
KSAT.com
November 14, 2015
SAN ANTONIO - Two new cases of chronic wasting disease in captive white-tailed deer have been reported, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department official said.
There have now been seven cases of the fatal disease reported in Texas.
The infected deer were found in Lavaca County, TWPD wildlife director Clayton Wolf said.
Wolf said biopsies show signs of the deadly disease but the findings still need to be confirmed by a lab in Iowa.
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2. USDA Embraces One Health Approach for Solving Problems Associated with Antimicrobial Resistance
Posted by Dr. Catherine Woteki, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics
USDA Blog
November 16, 2015
This week is World Antibiotic Awareness Week and USDA remains focused on prolonging the usefulness of a very precious resource-antibiotics. These medicines successfully treat and prevent infectious diseases and must be used responsibly to remain effective to all who need them. USDA also recognizes that antimicrobial resistance, or the ability of bacteria and other microbes to survive the effects of an antibiotic and then proliferate, is a serious threat to both animal health and human health.
Earlier this year, the World Health Assembly developed a global action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The five objectives of the plan are: Increasing awareness, strengthening research and surveillance, reducing infections, optimizing antimicrobial use, and ensuring sustainable investments to contain AMR.
At USDA, we use a One Health approach that embraces the idea that a problem such as AMR arising at the intersection of the health of humans, animals, and the environment can be solved only through a coordinated multidisciplinary approach.
Within USDA, there are eight agencies engaged in addressing some aspect of AMR: the Agricultural Research Service, the Agricultural Marketing Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Economic Research Service, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the National Institutes for Food and Agriculture. Our One Health Joint Working Group within USDA coordinates the work of these agencies for a comprehensive approach to address multiple facets of the issue.
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3. New infographic explains antibiotic use on pig farms
Source: National Pork Board
National Hog Farmer
November 16, 2015
The National Pork Board today debuted a new infographic depicting how U.S. pig farmers work with their veterinarians to use antibiotics responsibly to help keep people, pigs and the planet healthy.
"As pig farmers, we work closely with veterinarians to make sure we're using antibiotics only when necessary for the health and well-being of our animals," says Derrick Sleezer, president of the National Pork Board and a pig farmer from Cherokee, Iowa. "We're also committed to protecting human health, and we understand the importance of using tools such as antibiotics responsibly to ensure food safety."
The NPB continues to update and expand programs, such as Pork Quality Assurance Plus, that certify that farmers know the latest information about how to practice responsible antibiotic use at the farm level. However, pig farmers are increasingly communicating with the public about this issue with the goal of demystifying antibiotic use.
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4. Antibiotics fed to healthy livestock harmful to children
By Stephen Feller
UPI.com
November 16, 2015
WASHINGTON -- Antibiotics have been added livestock feed for decades, initially used after researchers found in drug trials they caused animals to gain weight, producing more meat to sell consumers.
In addition to their ability to fatten animals, antibiotics now also serve the purpose of limiting the spread of infection among animals as they are being raised. Researchers have found, however, that using the drugs in healthy animals meant for food has reduced their ability to treat infections in humans -- posing a potentially serious health crisis.
Children under 5 are especially at risk for such infections because of their immature immune systems, posing a specific health risk, researchers said. Data shows the incidence of drug-resistant bacterial infection is highest among them.
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5. Antibiotic Awareness in Horses: What to Know
By Christa Lest�-Lasserre, MA
TheHorse.com
November 16, 2015
Horses worldwide are suffering the effects of antibiotic resistance, rendering antibiotic treatment for a variety of infections ineffective. However, better education of both veterinarians and owners-especially in developing countries-and ongoing research can help reverse this trend, said the head of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
And there's no better time to become educated on the topic than during World Antibiotic Awareness Week, taking place Nov. 16-20.
"We're seeing a recent phenomenon where more therapeutic treatments (against bacteria) are failing, whereas 20 years ago these same treatments worked well," said Bernard Vallat, DVM, director general of the OIE, in Paris, France. "These failures are happening more and more often-and not just in equine species, but in all species, including humans."
Antibiotic resistance occurs when certain bacteria survive an antibiotic treatment. These bacteria might have survived the treatment because of a genetic ability to resist that particular treatment, or a mutation that helps them overcome the antibiotic's effects. As survivors, they reproduce and create an entire colony of treatment-resistant germs that can then spread to other animals, or people, according to the OIE.
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6. K-State breaks ground on $2.8 million equine facility
By Frank J. Buchman
The Topeka Capital-Journal
November 14, 2015
Kansas State University broke ground recently on a $2.8 million equine facility expected to be completed in late 2016, according to officials.
Fundraising for the Equine Performance Testing Center, which will be located east of Mosier Hall within the Veterinary Health Center complex, has been underway for the past decade. Private donations total more than $800,000 and are ongoing.
University officials hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 4, according to Debbie Kirchhoff, the Kansas State University Foundation's director of development for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
When complete, the center will feature an indoor riding arena with hard and soft footing to better evaluate and diagnose lameness issues in horses, an indoor examination area, a radiology suite, farrier space and a consultation room, Kirchhoff said.
"This new center will provide safe, year-round access to consistent footing and shelter for patients, clients, students and clinicians," she said.
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7. Scrapie in Sheep and Goats [Comment period reopened]
Federal Register Volume 80, Number 220 (Monday, November 16, 2015)
Proposed Rules
Page 70718
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29179]
9 CFR Parts 54 and 79
Docket No. APHIS-2007-0127
Scrapie in Sheep and Goats [Comment period reopened]
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.
SUMMARY: We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would revise completely the scrapie regulations, which concern the risk groups and categories established for individual animals and for flocks, the use of genetic testing as a means of assigning risk levels to animals, movement restrictions for animals found to be genetically less susceptible or resistant to scrapie, and recordkeeping requirements. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.
DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published on September 10, 2015 (80 FR 54660-54692) is reopened. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before December 9, 2015.
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