By now, most hog producers have heard about the confirmed cases of psuedorabies in Cuming and Antelope Counties. The first impact to be felt will be the testing and eradication protocols that the swine producing neighbors will have to implement. But, when cattle are in close proximity to hogs with pseudorabies, cattle are also prone to contracting the disease. Pseudorabies is a viral infection that affects the central nervous system. The pig is the primary host, and the only known reservoir.
Pigs excrete the virus through saliva and nasal secretions, and a small amount through urine.
Some unconfirmed reports coming from Iowa indicate that the pseudorabies outbreaks there are 'hot' enough that some cattle have contracted the disease. When the pseudorabies virus is excreted from a hog, it typically does not survive beyond two weeks. Because of the short life span outside of the host pig, the disease is primarily spread through direct contact with hogs. Infection through aerosol dispersion is possible but less common. Psuedorabies is termed medically as Aujeszky's disease.