Humans spread ASF in Europe

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Humans are responsible for the spread of African Swine Fever in eastern Europe. That is the conclusion of scientists Klaus Depner and Sandra Blome at Germany's Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut.

High levels of the virus causing ASF are found in the blood of infected animals, much less in saliva and feces, so living animals are not that contagious. Furthermore, sick animals with fevers don't travel; they stay put and die a few days after infection. Carcasses of infected wild boars do remain a source of infection for some time. The scientists speculate that, when many pigs were going to die, they were sent to slaughter and infected meat made it to markets, homes and suitcases.  The virus spread along main roads.

Farms that became infected were found to have insufficient biosecurity measures in place. Attempts to eradicate wild boars, thought to be a source of the disease, simply scared sick animals away, so that they died in other locations. Good hygiene and biosecurity are the answer, the scientists say. BP