African Swine Fever outbreak reported in Kerala: Know symptoms, precautions and modes of transmission

The African Swine Flu was first reported in India in Assam in 2020 killing over 2900 pigs.

Authorities in Thrissur ordered the culling of 310 pigs on Friday after an outbreak of African Swine Fever(ASF) was reported in a private farm in Madakkathara panchayat in the district.

According to WOAH, 57 countries and territories have reported the presence of ASF, since January 2022. (Representational pic) (AFP)

According to officials, the area within a one-kilometre radius of the affected farm has been declared a disease-affected area, and the area within a 10-km radius has been declared a disease surveillance area, reported PTI.

The African Swine Flu was reported earlier this year in Alappuzha.

According to The Indian Express, an ASF outbreak was reported in India for the first time in 2020 in Assam, in which over 2900 pigs died.

What is the African Swine Fever?

According to World Organisations for Animal Health (WOAH), African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, with a potential mortality rate of 100 per cent.

According to Boehringer Ingelheim, a German-based pharmaceutical company, the disease was first detected in Africa in the early 1900s.

According to WOAH, 57 countries and territories have reported the presence of ASF, affecting 506,000 pigs and more than 20,400 wild boars since January 2022.

A total of 6847 outbreaks have been reported among domestic pigs across the globe since January 2022, with 26.55 per cent being recorded from Asia and 70 per cent being reported from Europe, according to WOAH.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a DNA virus in the Asfarviridae family. This virus is resistant to low temperatures and remains viable for long periods in blood, faeces and tissues, especially in infected, uncooked or undercooked pork products.

This disease does not pose any danger to humans or their health. However, it does have an effect on the swine population which is reared for its meat.

According to Food Outlook, a biannual report on global food markets released by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations in June 2024, the global pig meat trade forecasted over 10 million tonnes in 2024.

How does it spread?

According to WOAH, African Swine Fever is highly contagious has various modes of transmission such as direct, indirect, transstadial, transovarial, and sexual.

Direct transmission refers to transmission via contact between infected animals and healthy animals that can lead to the spread of the virus.

Indirect transmission of ASFV happens through feeding on garbage containing infected meat products, biological vectors and transmission through objects containing the virus, as the microbe is able to survive on surfaces like contacted objects for days.

This could also mean that travelling from one country to another lacking proper bio-security practices can also cause the spread of the virus.

According to WOAH, the virus is “highly resistant in the environment”, thus capable of surviving on clothes, boots, wheels and so on.

Other modes of transmission include transstadial (spreads through different stages of an organism's life), transovarial (transmitted from a parent to offspring) and sexual (viral transmission through mating).

Symptoms

In an extremely acute form, the symptoms of African Swine Fever include fever, and the animals suffer a sudden death with a few signs.

In its acute form, there are symptoms such as reddening of the skin, anorexia, listlessness, discolouration of mucous, lack of coordination within 24-48 hours of death, and diarrhoea among others.

Visible and invisible lesions may also occur in the infected animals.

Prevention and Control

There are no medical treatments or vaccines available for ASF.

During outbreaks, culling of swine and proper disposal of the cadaver is essential. There should also be proper designation and surveillance of infected zones. Possible tracing sources of the virus and and spread of the virus should be investigated.