The Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has joined the Swine Disease Reporting System network in September 2026, adding 6,986 molecular diagnostic tests performed in 2024 to the national surveillance dataset covering PRRSV, PEDV, and six other major swine pathogens.

The lab's diagnostic throughput — drawn from submissions in Illinois (50%), Indiana (40%), and other neighboring states (10%) — closes a coverage gap in the eastern Corn Belt, home to roughly 7.13% of the U.S. swine herd.

What does the move change at the herd level?

IL-VDL operates as a Level 2 laboratory within the U.S. National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), a tier that signals readiness to support federal disease response. The lab also holds American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) accreditation, aligns with ISO 17025 quality standards, and sits within the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN).

For swine veterinarians, the addition translates to more granular regional data on the pathogens IL-VDL screens via molecular diagnostics — the lab's largest submission category in 2024. Those pathogens include:

• Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)
• Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV)
• Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV)
• Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV)
• Senecavirus A
• Swine Influenza Virus
• Porcine Circovirus
• Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

How significant is Illinois to U.S. pork production?

Illinois ranks 4th among U.S. swine-producing states, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The state maintains a pig inventory exceeding 5.25 million head, including 600,000 breeding animals and 4.65 million growing pigs.

That volume gives IL-VDL data enough weight to shift regional disease-trend interpretations, per Iowa State University authors Quyen Le, Daniel Linhares, and Giovani Trevisan, who co-wrote the announcement with University of Illinois counterparts Wes Baumgartner and James Lowe.

What does the lab bring to SDRS?

The lab's reach extends across the eastern Corn Belt. Submissions in 2024 originated from producers and veterinarians in Illinois, Indiana, and surrounding states — providing geographic representation that SDRS previously lacked in that corridor.

"The Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is excited to join the SDRS network and looks forward to collaborating with participating veterinary diagnostic laboratories, veterinarians, producers, and industry partners to further strengthen swine disease surveillance and support the health and sustainability of the U.S. pork industry," the lab stated.

What does SDRS do?

SDRS aggregates diagnostic data from participating U.S. veterinary laboratories to:

• Monitor endemic swine disease activity
• Detect shifts in pathogen prevalence
• Identify emerging disease threats
• Support biosecurity and outbreak investigation
• Inform herd health decisions

The Iowa State University-managed program has added labs incrementally over time, with IL-VDL representing the most recent addition as of September 2026.

What does the expanded dataset mean for outbreak response?

The expansion strengthens the network's ability to detect early disease activity in a high-density pork-producing region. Outbreak investigators working on PRRSV, PEDV, or Senecavirus A cases across Illinois or Indiana will now see IL-VDL test counts integrated into SDRS trend reports.

The diagnostic volume also feeds forecasting models that predict when and where respiratory and enteric disease pressure will peak — a practical tool for producers planning vaccination timing, biosecurity investments, and pig flow.

Forward look

The first integrated SDRS reports incorporating IL-VDL data are expected in the next quarterly update, giving swine veterinarians and producers a sharper view of pathogen activity across the eastern Corn Belt heading into 2027.