African swine fever is a viral disease of pigs and wild boar that is usually deadly.
There are neither vaccines nor cures.
For this reason, it has serious socio-economic consequences in affected countries.
The virus can persist for several months in the environment and in carcasses.
Curing or smoking pork products does not always destroy it.
Humans are not susceptible to the disease,
but they can spread it through contaminated clothes or equipment.
The clinical signs of African swine fever are variable and not always easy to recognise.
Typically, diseased animals will show some or all of the following symptoms:
High fever
Weakness and reluctance to stand
Vomiting
Diarrhoea (sometimes bloody)
Red or blue coloured skin, particularly around the ears and snout
Coughing and difficulty breathing
Miscarriage, still births and weak litters
Most of the diseased animals will die within 10 days
Domestic pigs can be infected in a number of ways including:
Contact with contagious pigs purchased in affected areas
Being fed with kitchen waste (it has been regulated and prohibited by EU law since 1980)
Contact with contaminated materials,
for instance from people wearing contaminated footwear or clothing
Contact your official veterinarian immediately
if you suspect African swine fever has infected your herd
Do not move your animals from the farm
Always change clothing and footwear when leaving the farm
Before purchasing feed, litter or pigs
ensure that they come from trust-worthy farms that have carried out
the necessary measures to protect their farms from the virus.
Do not allow your pigs to have contact with wild boar or pigs from other farms
Never feed kitchen waste to pigs
Avoid outdoor farming in areas affected by African swine fever
Do not acquire pork or pork products from affected areas which could cause risk
Wild boar hunters should not come into contact with domestic pigs after hunting
Hunters and farmers should not leave offal from wild boar or domestic pigs
in the fields and forests
Do not leave food or waste in areas where wild boar may be present
Contact official veterinary authorities when you find a dead wild boar
even if the area has not been affected by African swine fever