Graphic provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Understanding African Swine Fever and how to prevent its spread

African swine fever, or ASF, is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting both domestic and wild pigs of all ages. It spreads very quickly and kills most pigs that get it. There is no treatment or vaccine available—the only way to stop the spread of the disease is to depopulate all affected or exposed swine herds. While ASF cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans and is not a food safety issue, an introduction into the United States would have significant impacts on the U.S. swine industry. It has never been found in the United States, and the U.S. Department of Argiculture wants people to do their part in preventing its spread to the U.S.

Distribution

ASF is found in many countries around the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease has spread throughout Cambodia, China, Mongolia, and Vietnam. We have observed recent outbreaks in European countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine.

Modes of Transmission

Healthy pigs and boars usually become infected by:

Direct contact with infected animals, including free-ranging pigs and wild boar.
Eating meat or meat products from infected animals, like kitchen waste, swill feed, and infected wild boar (including offal).
Indirect contact with anything contaminated by the virus such as soil, clothing, shoes, vehicles, and other equipment.
Bites by infectious ticks.

What Can You Do?

Thoroughly wash all retrograde vehicles and equipment, removing any soil particles.
Make sure you clean and disinfect, or dispose of, any clothing and shoes that you wore when working around known ASF-infected areas.
Do not visit a farm, premises with pigs, livestock market, sale barn, zoo, circus, pet store with pot-bellied pigs, or any other animal facility with pigs for at least five days after you return to the United States.

For more information on ASF, check out the USDA's tips:

Story by U.S. Department of Agriculture