African swine fever notified in India for the first time| what is this destructive disease?

In an Indian state Assam, the first case of African swine fever has been reported towards the end of February this year. This disease started in April 2019 at a village in Xizang province of China bordering Arunachal Pradesh. In Assam this disease has killed about 3000 pigs in 306 villages where the state is already battling with COVID-19 outbreak.

African Swine Fever (ASF) has confirmed by “National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal. In country central government has notified that it is the first instance of the disease, this disease has no connection at all with COVID-19, Assam Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Bora said.

African swine fever (ASF) is a contagious disease of swine reported in the European Union (EU) and to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). It is caused by a large DNA virus; African swine fever virus (ASFV). It is a destructive hemorrhagic fever of pigs with mortality rates nearing 100 per cent but, human beings are not at any risk.  It creates big economic losses, threatens food security and restricts pig production in affected countries.

The African swine fever virus can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and ingestion of uncooked/ undercooked contaminated pork products, animal feed. This virus can also be easily transmit by direct or indirect contact with infected animals or their fluids and Contaminated fomites such as equipments, vehicles, shoes, cloths, farming tools, knives etc.

Preventive measures to limit the spread of African swine fever

• No import of pigs and pork products.
• After testing culling, Quarantine and depopulation of infected pigs.
• Ban feeding of undercooked and raw pork products like swill, waste or garbage to pigs.
• Control tick and insects vectors like flies.
• Cleaning and disinfections of materials used in hunting or infected area and of livestock transport.

Dr. Asma Naz

She is Ph.D. holder in Agriculture (Plant Pathology and Nematology).