CHAPTER 2
NAHSS is a Veterinary Services (VS) initiative designed
to integrate existing animal-health monitoring programs
and surveillance activities into a comprehensive and
coordinated system. NAHSS is charged with enhancing
the collection, collation, and analysis of animal health data
and facilitating timely and efficient dissemination of animal
health information. NAHSS also augments the Nation’s
ability to detect the early signs of biological threats.
In December 2004, the NAHSS Steering Committee, in
collaboration with the National Surveillance Coordinator
and the National Surveillance Unit (NSU), finalized a
strategic plan for national animal-health surveillance.
VS established four primary goals for the NAHSS:
1. Early detection and global risk surveillance for foreign
animal diseases (FADs),
2. Early detection and global risk surveillance for
emerging diseases,
3. Enhanced surveillance for current program diseases,
and
4. Monitoring and surveillance for diseases of major
impact on production and marketing.
Program Disease Surveillance
The national eradication and certification programs, which
eradicate, prevent, or minimize animal diseases of
economic concern, are a fundamental component of VS’
efforts to promote, ensure, and improve the biological
and commercial health of U.S. livestock and poultry. VS
eradication programs include scrapie in sheep and goats,
tuberculosis in cattle and cervids, pseudorabies in swine,
brucellosis in swine, and brucellosis in cattle and bison.
Control and certification programs include chronic wasting
disease in cervids, Johne’s disease in cattle, trichinae
in swine, and the Swine Health Protection Inspection
Program, which regulates feeding of food waste to swine.
More detailed information about these programs and their
current status is provided in chapter 3.
FAD Surveillance and Programs
FAD Surveillance and Investigations
Efforts to detect FAD events in the United States
include field investigations, disease-specific surveillance
programs,