What is African Swine Fever (ASF)?

June 26, 2024

The death toll of pigs following the outbreak of the African Swine Fever (ASF) disease in Mizoram since February has crossed 3,350, officials said recently.

About African Swine Fever (ASF):

ASF is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose mortality rate can reach 100%.
The ASF virus is a large, enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus that is the sole member of the genus Asfivirus within the family Asfarviridae.
Symptoms: The clinical symptoms can look very much like those of classical swine fever: fever, weak pigs, lack of appetite, inflamed eye mucous membranes, red skin, (bloody) diarrhea and vomiting.
ASF can be spread through:
- Direct contact with infected animals
- Indirect contact through the ingestion of products from infected animals, contact with contaminated clothing, vehicles, or equipment
- Bites by infectious soft ticks (where present)
The ASF virus is able to survive for long periods in pork and pork meat products.
It is endemic to sub-Saharan Africabut has spread to many other regions of the world, including Asia and Europe.
In India, it was first confirmed in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in February-March 2020.
It is not a danger to human health. Meat or other products from pigs do not pose any food safety risks for humans. But it has devastating effects on pig populations and the farming economy.
There is no cure or precaution available for the infection, and there is no approved vaccine.So, the only way to stop it from spreading is by culling the animals.