ASF: Combined containment measures recommended
In order to contain the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) among wild boar populations in Eastern Europe, a combination of different measures needs to be applied.
That is the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which sent around this advise earlier this week.
The European Commission requested EFSA to assess the recent outbreak in Eastern Europe of ASF and to provide scientific advice on its spread and on its containment.
African Swine Fever entering Eastern Europe
The disease has entered into the European Union (EU) since 2014, affecting wild boar populations in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The disease was also found among domestic pigs in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
It appears that various individual measures applied in isolation take hold only after several years. EFSA therefore advises the use of several measures including targeted hunting, removal of carcasses in the wild and a strict feeding ban which – combined – would result in a reduced reproduction of wild boar and lead to a containment of the disease.
Viral disease, deadly to domestic pigs
African Swine Fever is a viral disease, that is harmless to humans but deadly to domestic pigs and wild boar. Neither vaccines nor cures are currently available. Most outbreaks in domestic pig farms occurred in backyard farms and were contained relatively quickly.
The disease is still spreading locally among wild boar populations where containment is more difficult.
All outbreaks in the EU are combined in this special Pig Progress map.
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