RDAR Rising to the Challenge - HPAIV

Jun 19, 2025

RDAR is actively rising to the challenge posed by the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), taking a leadership role in driving the conversation and supporting critical research gaps. We are funding projects that aim to develop effective diagnostic tools and generate practical knowledge about H5N1 transmission risk factors. This research is essential to help support biosecurity measures to prevent outbreaks, but also for understanding the broader implications of the virus, as H5N1 is no longer solely a concern for the poultry industry.

RDAR-funded research is investigating the potential transmission of HPAIV through migratory bird contamination of water and the environment. RDAR-funded research will also determine if H5N1 has already been introduced into Alberta's dairy or swine populations. By uncovering transmission pathways, the goal is to develop targeted strategies to prevent future outbreaks, protecting both animal and human health.

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Video: ASF Control Lessons - Dr. Mary-Louise Penrith

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Mary-Louise Penrith, Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria, shares what decades of work have revealed about ASF control. She explains why vaccine development remains difficult, how human activity and food waste drive disease spread, why resistant pig populations are an important research area, and how strict biosecurity with the right disinfectants can help to stop transmission. Listen now on all major platforms!

"It's really a very human-driven disease because people move pigs, decide how they're raised, how they're sold, and good biosecurity can do anything to ensure control."

Meet the guest: Dr. Mary-Louise Penrith / mary-louise-penrith-2b12bb42 is an Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. A veterinarian and internationally recognized researcher, she has dedicated decades to African swine fever epidemiology, control, and pig health, supporting FAO and WOAH initiatives while advancing research and education. Listen to Dr. Mary-Louise Penrith on the Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.