Continued ASF Spread Raising European Concerns

November 25, 2009 — 

Russia has submitted its tenth follow-up report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) since the detection of African swine fever in the country on September 26, 2009. The deadly virus spread to Russia following an outbreak in Georgia resulting from pigs consuming infected meat products from southeastern Africa. The virus had been confined to sub-Saharan Africa and the Italian island of Sardinia.

Following the outbreak in Georgia in 2007, the disease has spread to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia and is complicated by its introduction into the wild pig population. Continued viral spread could potentially threaten pig production in Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Belarus.

There is no cure or vaccine for the highly contagious virus. The virus is wide spread in pig tissues and can survive for months in refrigerated meat products and years in frozen carcasses. The virus causes a hemorrhagic fever, with signs of disease beginning 5 to 15 days after infection. Death usually follows within 1 to 7 days of the appearance of the illness.

Sources:
Insciences Organization
ProMED-mail.org, November 21, 2009