College of Veterinary Medicine researchers prepare the U.S. for global animal disease threats

A single outbreak of a foreign animal disease—whether foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, or peste des petits ruminants—can bring a nation's livestock industry to a halt. 

These viruses spread quickly, are difficult to control, and devastate animal health and rural economies. Infected animals may die, and countries can face trade restrictions, emergency culling, and lost market access, leading to billions in losses. For example, a potential African swine fever outbreak in the U.S. could result in more than $50 billion in economic losses and the loss of 140,000 jobs.

Although the U.S. is free from these diseases, the threat is always present, and the most effective prevention starts far beyond U.S. borders. Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ College of Veterinary Medicine and its Center for Animal Health and Food Safety are working to prevent outbreaks by learning from regions already dealing with these diseases. They are gathering crucial insights that can protect U.S. herds and the industries dependent on them.

Learning from endemic regions

Umanga Gunasekera, a veterinarian and postdoctoral researcher at the Center of Animal Health and Food Safety, has spent her career focused on foot-and-mouth disease. In Sri Lanka, foot-and-mouth disease is a common, costly problem. 

"With no strategic plan in place to prevent future outbreaks for foot-and-mouth disease, I saw that we need a better understanding of the epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease," she says.

Gunasekera's work includes reviewing global studies on the disease’s effective reproductive number (R), a metric used to estimate how quickly the virus spreads. Her findings have shown a gap in global knowledge and the difficulty in planning for an unpredictable virus, especially in countries like the U.S., where strains could behave differently.

Gunasekera also used machine learning to map high-risk areas in South Asia and validated statistical approaches to calculate foot-and-mouth disease transmission in Vietnam. Her research builds global preparedness and helps understand how diseases like this spread, ensuring that countries can better prevent outbreaks.

The complexity of containment

Researchers Rachel Schambow and Jesper Chia-Hui Hsu are studying African swine fever, focusing on the Dominican Republic and the Philippines, countries where the illness was recently reported. 

Schambow uses spatial and temporal modeling to map disease spread and assess control strategies. Her work in the Dominican Republic has emphasized the need for tailored, long-term disease control strategies, especially in lower-resource settings. 

Hsu focuses on environmental factors, such as seasonal flooding and carcass disposal practices, that exacerbate African swine fever transmission. 

“What are the right motivations and incentives to consider in creating policy that people will follow?” he asks. His research highlights how farmers’ reluctance to report sick animals and improper disposal of carcasses can fuel outbreaks, especially during monsoon seasons.

From global science to U.S. strategy

In Uganda and the Dominican Republic, Sylvester Ochwo is assessing point-of-care tests for African swine fever, which can be used on farms to support rapid decision-making. While these tests are crucial in outbreaks, their accuracy and practicality must be evaluated. 

"In an outbreak, farmers and vets don’t have time to wait days for test results," Ochwo says. “But if point-of-care tests aren’t accurate under field conditions, easy to use, and affordable, they could do more harm than good.”

Another key focus is the global effort to eradicate peste des petits ruminants, a disease that affects sheep and goats, threatening food security in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Veterinarian and researcher Dinara Imanbayevais working on this challenge by identifying gaps in vaccination and surveillance systems in Morocco and Cape Verde. 

"The final step in eradication is official recognition," she says. “But before that, countries need strong systems for detection and reporting. They need to show that their data is reliable.”

The research at the College of Veterinary Medicine helps inform U.S. policy and preparedness strategies, ensuring that U.S. livestock is protected from these global threats.

"An epidemic of any of the diseases studied by the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety researchers would cause a profound impact in the country,” says Andres Perez, the center’s director.

By learning from countries on the front lines of disease, University researchers are helping ensure the U.S. stays one step ahead.