Inactivating ASFv: Does it Require 59°C or 100°C?

April 25, 2023 — 

With African Swine Fever virus (ASFv) concerns continuing to weigh heavily on the swine industry, at times it can be difficult to interpret and reconcile opposing research results. A recent example of this involves separate studies related to the temperature required for inactivating ASFv to prevent transmission.

Time and temperature are currently the best ways to inactivate ASFv. Different methods to evaluate both time and temperature, however, can lead to different outcomes.

2 papers, 2 different conclusions on inactivating ASFv

In 2023, the University of Minnesota (UMN) released preprint data indicating that 2 double-stranded, multilayered membrane-enveloped DNA mega-viruses, Emiliania huxleyi virus (EhV) and ASF virus, were damaged by heat treatment but remained potentially viable when exposed to temperatures up to 100°C for 20 minutes. However, in a published journal article in Pathogens, also published in 2023, the German ASFv reference lab reported that 59°C effectively eliminated infectivity of ASFv.

Why do results from these 2 papers have vastly different conclusions? The main difference is based on the methods used to evaluate the potential infective capacity of ASFv subjected to different heat treatments.

Read the full article at https://www.pigprogress.net/health-nutrition/health/inactivating-asfv-doessoftbreakit-require-59c-or-100c/.

[Source: Pig Progress 20 April 2023]