ASF Outbreak in Northern Europe

June 13, 2007 — 

The republic of Georgia has notified the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) of eleven outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in ten regions of the country. This is the first ever occurrence of the disease in northern Europe (it is endemic in Sardinia, Italy).

The disease was confirmed by the OIE Reference Laboratory at the Institute for Animal Health Pirbright Laboratory UK on June 3rd. Initial tests conducted in Georgia were reportedly negative. It appears the outbreaks began in April, and 20,000 pigs have been slaughtered. Georgia has approximately 500,000 pigs on commercial and small farm holdings. Pirbright's analysis indicates that this outbreak was caused by the introduction of a virus belonging to Genotype II. Since 1990, this genotype of the virus has been found only in Zambia, Mozambique, and Madagascar.

The disease causes fever and high mortality in pigs, but does not affect humans. Pigs can acquire African swine fever by eating infected meat or tissues, by direct contact with an infected pig, and by contact with contaminated material and equipment, such as buckets, needles, clothing and vehicles. ASF virus may remain viable for long periods in infected pig tissues, meat and processed pig products.

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the virus probably entered Georgia through imported frozen or processed pig meat. Considering the fact that the east-African nations export very little pork, other sources suspect the illegal import of food scraps (swill) or an unrecognized reservoir of infection outside of Africa.

There is no vaccine against ASF, thus stamping out is the only effective eradication measure. Currently, there is no on-going research on ASF in the U.S. following the Department of Homeland Security's takeover of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in 2003.