Hong Kong will cull 6,000 pigs after African swine fever (ASF) was detected in an animal at a slaughterhouse close to the border with China. This was the first case of the disease in Hong Kong.
About:
What is it? African swine fever is a highly infectious disease of pigs, including pigs, warthogs, bush pigs, European wild boar and American wild pigs. It is clinically indistinguishable from classical swine fever (CSF) and must be differentially diagnosed in the laboratory.
Cause: It is caused by African swine fever virus, member of the Asfarviridae family.
Transmission: As with CSF, transmission can occur either directly contact of sick and healthy animals, and indirectly through contaminated feed, or on contaminated clothing, vehicles or as other fomites.
Geographical Distribution: ASF is present in wild and/or domestic pigs in regions of Asia, Europe and Africa. ASFV is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. It has been seen in South America and the Caribbean but has been eradicated.
Symptoms: Fever (40.5-42ºC) vomiting, diarrhoea, reddening of the skin at extremities, chest and abdomen, anorexia and abortion.
Prevention: There is no published treatment or vaccine for ASF.
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