African swine fever (ASF) continues to plague the global pig industry with outbreaks flaring up from Asia to Europe and is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2023, Europe recorded 12,121 outbreaks – nearly double the cases in 2022. The disease, devastating to pigs but harmless to humans, has caused massive losses in pig populations and economic hardship for farmers worldwide.
Extremely hardy, the disease can survive for 70 to 192 days and much longer in frozen carcasses. It can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and in pork products, as well as feed, clothing, tools and equipment (fomites). This has prompted a multi-pronged approach to control its spread, with some countries resorting to drastic measures.
Military mobilisation in Italy
Italy has seen a spike in outbreaks of African swine fever in commercial piggery farms and had to cull 34,000 animals last September to try and control the spread of the disease. They also have a real problem with 1m to 1.5m wild boar, which are a natural reservoir for the virus, potentially transmitting it to domestic pigs through contact or contaminated food sources. These boars pose a very real threat to the €8.2 billion Italian prosciutto and sausage industry with a number of countries already imposing restrictions on Italian pork products.
The Italian government has taken action by deploying troops across the country to cull the wild boar with an aim to reduce their numbers by 80% in the next five years.
This unprecedented step underscores the seriousness of the situation. By controlling the wild boar population, Italian authorities hope to create a buffer zone and prevent the spread of the virus to commercially raised pigs. This approach has its critics, who argue that the logistics of large-scale culling are complex and the effectiveness of such measures can be limited. However, the Italian government sees it as a necessary step to protect its vital pig industry, a major source of income for many rural communities.
The UK’s proactive approach
While the disease has not yet reached the UK, officials are keenly aware of the potential economic and social impact of an outbreak. The UK is a pork producer and exporter, and an ASF incursion could have devastating consequences. The government’s plans focus on preventing the virus from entering the country in the first place.
This includes bolstering border controls, particularly on shipments of pork products and live animals from affected regions. Increased biosecurity on farms is another key element of the UK’s strategy. This involves educating farmers about the risks of ASF and implementing stricter hygiene protocols to reduce the chance of the virus entering their animals.
Finally, the UK government is conducting regular surveillance of wild boar populations, which are present in some parts of the country. Early detection of any ASF cases in wild boar would be crucial to preventing the spread to domestic pigs.
Vaccine development
In Asia the first ASF vaccine has been approved for use. The vaccine, developed in Vietnam, has shown promise in initial trials, but questions remain about its long-term efficacy and availability. More research is needed to determine how well the vaccine protects pigs in the field and how long immunity lasts. Also, the vaccine is not yet widely available, and it may be some time before it is accessible to pig producers around the world.
In the UK the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation have partnered with Pirbright’s African Swine Fever Vaccinology research department to develop a vaccine. Their approach is to use bovine herpesvirus 4 as a base for developing a vaccine allowed by recent advancements in ASF vaccinology and porcine immunology.
The Australian national science agency (CSIRO) is working with US biotech firm MBF Therapeutics to evaluate their new DNA vaccine. It will be evaluated at the specialist laboratories at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) which is designed to allow research into dangerous disease safely and securely.
With so many vaccine development projects in progress at the present time, hopefully a proven, safe and affordable vaccine for African swine fever is on the horizon.
Prevention is the only defence against ASF
African swine fever is contagious. It can be carried in processed meat products, clothing, feed and machinery, has a long survival rate, and is near impossible to eradicate.
Vigilance, strict on-farm biosecurity and a professionally, well structured Contingency Plan in place, creates a barrier around your farm.
Remember: ASF is carried in from outside of your premises by a dizzying array of carriers. Find out more about ASF with our extensive report here.
ASF might not be here yet but it sadly could be, soon. Protect your pigs today and contact the Livetec team here.
