AFRICAN SWINE FEVER (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: Recently, the African swine fever reached the Far North.

African Swine Fever (ASF)

• Initial Detection: ASF was first identified in Africa during the 1920s.
• Highly Contagious and Lethal: This disease is extremely contagious and almost always fatal for infected animals.
• Target Species: ASF affects both domestic and wild pigs, typically leading to an acute form of hemorrhagic fever.
• High Mortality Rate: The mortality rate approaches 100%, and since there is no cure for the fever, the primary containment method is culling infected animals.
• No Threat to Humans: ASF is not transmissible to humans; it exclusively spreads among animals.
• Historical Distribution: Historically, outbreaks have been documented in Africa and regions of Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.
• Recent Global Spread: Since 2007, ASF has been reported in numerous countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe, affecting both domestic and wild pig populations.
• OIE Listing: ASF is listed as a disease in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code, mandating its reporting to the OIE.
• Lack of Vaccine: Currently, there is no effective vaccine available to combat ASF.