African Swine Fever

For several reasons, Poland has not managed to control ASF in wild boars and pigs. What measures has this country implemented during these 10 years and why were they insufficient?

Pig333 interviewed Prof. Pulina of the University of Sassari who has been involved in eradicating African swine fever in Sardinia. ASF arrived on the island in 1978 through contaminated pork products. After many years of struggle, the virus has now been eradicated.

A study reviews all ASF transmission routes described.

You've probably heard that one of the ways the ASF virus can enter a country is through contaminated food. Here's why it's so risky.

PCR results are diagnostic test results, not a diagnosis. The diagnostician is an investigator and should employ all of the tools at his command. An expert with experience in China reviews how ASF should be diagnosed.

Expert insight on the choice of strategy in controlling the spread of ASF.

France and Luxembourg are in the firing line to be the next European countries invaded by ASF after its confirmation in Germany in 2020, says one of Europe’s most experienced specialists on the disease.

On large farms, the first animals to become ill and die from ASF may be missed unless there is an appropriate passive surveillance system that targets dead and diseased animals.

What laboratory diagnostic methods can I use to diagnose African swine fever? Which one should I choose according to the situation? How do I interpret the results?

Biosecurity and prevention measures must take into account that as low as 5 units of ASF virus are enough to produce infection.

With the ever-present risk of further ASF spread, compartmentalization offers an attractive alternative to zoning as an option for swine producers to ensure business continuity and sustained trade in the face of ASF.

Will a faster diagnosis make a significant difference in the fight against African swine fever?

This vaccine looks promising, but... are we going to see it in Europe?

Depending on the virulence of the strain and the route of exposure, the disease may have four different presentations and early detection can be a challenge due to the lack of specific clinical signs.

A group of swine professionals will describe their field experience and perspective gained while fighting against African Swine Fever.

What is the course of this disease in the field recently? Not always following the textbook description… Global swine professionals with field experience answer this and many other questions.

Are we ready to step forward? And declare a suspicion? Do we know how to proceed? What are protocols that will be put in place and how quickly will they happen?

Do we clearly understand which are the most effective biosecurity measurements to prevent the transmission of ASF between farms when infection pressure increases? What are the major worries of those producers and veterinarians dealing with outbreaks of the disease over short distances?

In a world where feed ingredients are marketed globally, do we know the minimum infectious dose to transmit the ASF virus in feed? And in water?

Fernando Rodríguez, the director of CReSA, explains at what stage is the development of the vaccine against ASF.

Enric Marco comments on the practical implications of a recent article investigating the transmission of ASF through ingestion of flies.

This article describes the main diseases that wild boars can transmit to the domestic pig, their prevalences and transmission routes. It also discusses the increase of the wild boar population in Europe.

The diseases shared by livestock and wildlife involve many players: mainly farmers, but also hunters and different public administrations.

This clinical case describes how, after discovering large numbers of dead and dying pigs in the sheds over a 4-day period, an expert team of veterinarians diagnosed African Swine Fever.

10 recomendations to face African Swine Fever (ASF).

Prevention against ASF involves farmers, farm staff, veterinarians, lorry drivers, hunters and the Official Veterinary Services.

The ASF situation in Poland (19 cases and 2 outbreaks in 4 municipalities) seems to be very different from the countries east from Poland: it can be concluded that among wild boar in 4 municipalities the course of the disease is endemic rather than epidemic.

In this second part the actions described are the ones needed when the disease is already in the country.

ASF spreads mainly through the movement of infected pork and other animal products, as well as live animals, which includes wild boar.

ASF is now firmly established in some areas of the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, where it is causing considerable trade disruptions, plus having a devastating impact on small-scale pig farmers.

The clinical profile seen to date of ASF in Russia and neighboring countries is a typical acute disease. The animals die between 7 and 15 days post-infection and the symptoms observed include fever, huddling together due to cold, and injuries described above.