AFRICAN SWINE FEVER (ASF)WHY IT ’S A CONCERN

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PREVENTION, PLANNING & RESPONSE IN THE UNITED STATES

J A C K S H E R E , D V M , P H DD E P U T Y A D M I N I S T R ATO RU . S . D E PA R T M E N T O F A G R I C U LT U R EA N I M A L A N D P L A N T H E A LT H I N S P E C T I O N S E R V I C EV E T E R I N A R Y S E R V I C E S

A G R I C U LT U R A L O U T LO O K F O R U M – A R L I N G TO N , VAF E B R UA R Y 2 2 , 2 0 1 9

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Infectious disease caused by the ASF virus that affects members of the suidaefamily: domestic pigs, feral swine, wild boar and other exotic swine species

Negligible health risk to other livestock species

Does not infect humans and is not a public health risk

What is ASF?

Photo courtesy of USDA APHIS WS

Photo courtesy of USDA ARS

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Unique virus with 20 genotypes and multiple clinical presentations

Highly resistant in environment, especially at lower temperatures

Can survive in meat and meat products for extended time

What is ASF?

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Transmitted by direct and indirect contact

Incubation period is 5 to 21 days

Varying clinical presentation but typically includes high fever, anorexia/lethargy/recumbency, hemorrhaging, and death in 7-10 days

Diagnosed by PCR and Virus Isolation at USDA FADDL or approved NAHLN laboratories

No treatment; no vaccine.

What is ASF?

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Potential health impact on nation’s swine herd

Potential economic impact on swine/ag sector

Potential trade restrictions

Recent spread to previously unaffected areas in Europe and Asia

Why Is ASF a Concern to the U.S.?

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China: 107 detections in domestic swine; 2 detections in wild boar in 25 China Provinces/Autonomous Regions/Municipalities

European Union: 10 countries affected; 9 countries have reported ASF in their feral swine population.

Subsaharan Africa; Trans-Caucasus Region; Russia, and as of 2019 Mongolia

ASF Current Distribution

Source:OIE 2019

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Uncooked/undercooked pork products fed to pigs (imported, illegal) Portugal , Spain (1960); Italy

(1983); Belgium (1985); Russia (2008); Romania, China (2018)

Raw pork waste/garbage at airport or shipping ports Lisbon (1957), Malta, Sardinia

(1978), Georgia (2007) Movement of infected wild

boars Russia (2008)

ASF – Globe Trotter

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Prevention

Response Planning/Exercises

Diagnostic Capacity

Surveillance and Analysis

International Coordination

Education & Outreach

Prevention, Planning & Response Activities

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Report suspect cases

Practice Good Biosecurity On the farm At the fair Returning from international

travel

Learn more https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-

disease-information/swine-disease-information (APHIS Swine Health) http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/ (Iowa State University Center for Food

Safety & Public Health) https://www.swinehealth.org/ (Swine Health Information Center)

What Can You Do?

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Jack Shere, DVM, PhDDeputy AdministratorU.S. Department of AgricultureAnimal and Plan Health Inspection ServiceVeterinary Services

Note: This presentation was adapted from an ASF presentation created by the Iowa State University Center for Food Safety & Public Health (CFSPH) and last updated in 2018. The full presentation is available at http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/.