scholarly journals African Swine Fever in Wild Boar (Poland 2020): Passive and Active Surveillance Analysis and Further Perspectives

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1219
Author(s):  
Maciej Piotr Frant ◽  
Anna Gal-Cisoń ◽  
Łukasz Bocian ◽  
Anna Ziętek-Barszcz ◽  
Krzysztof Niemczuk ◽  
...  

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal hemorrhagic disease of wild boar and domestic pigs which has been present in Poland since 2014. By 2020, the ASF virus (ASFV) spread across Central, Eastern and Western Europe (including Germany), and Asian countries (including China, Vietnam, and South Korea). The national ASF eradication and prevention program includes continuous passive (wild boar found dead and road-killed wild boar) and active (hunted wild boar) surveillance. The main goal of this study was to analyze the dynamic of the spread of ASF in the wild boar population across the territory of Poland in 2020. In that year in Poland, in total 6191 ASF-positive wild boar were declared. Most of them were confirmed in a group of animals found dead. The conducted statistical analysis indicates that the highest chance of obtaining an ASF-positive result in wild boar was during the winter months, from January to March, and in December 2020. Despite the biosecurity measures implemented by holdings of domestic pigs, the disease also occurred in 109 pig farms. The role of ASF surveillance in the wild boar population is crucial to apply more effective and tailored measures of disease control and eradication. The most essential measures to maintain sustainable production of domestic pigs in Poland include effective management of the wild boar population, along with strict implementation of biosecurity measures by domestic pig producers.

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Przemyslaw Cwynar ◽  
Jane Stojkov ◽  
Klaudia Wlazlak

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease that affects the domestic pig and wild boar population. The aim of this study was to describe the introduction and spread of the ASF virus in Western Europe (1960–1995) and in Eastern Europe (2007–2018), with particular emphasis on the current ASF situation in Poland and its challenges and future perspectives. The first ASF outbreak in Europe was reported in Portugal in 1957, with the virus spreading over most of Western Europe over the next 30 years. In Eastern Europe, the virus was first observed in Georgia in 2007, from where the disease spread quickly to other neighboring countries, reaching Poland in 2014. Since then, there have been 3341 confirmed cases in the wild boar population in Poland. Although there have been no confirmed cases of wild boars coming into contact with domestic pigs, the first notified case concerning domestic pigs was reported in July 2014. Since then, there have been a total of 213 confirmed outbreaks of ASF on Polish pig farms. Given the virulence of the ASF virus and the myriad of transmission routes across Europe, the monitoring of this disease must be a priority for Europe.


Vaccines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Schulz ◽  
Christoph Staubach ◽  
Sandra Blome ◽  
Imbi Nurmoja ◽  
Arvo Viltrop ◽  
...  

Estonia has been combatting African swine fever (ASF) for six years now. Since October 2017, the disease has only been detected in the wild boar population, but trade restrictions had to remain in place due to international regulations. Yet, the epidemiological course of the disease has changed within the last few years. The prevalence of ASF virus (ASFV)-positive wild boar decreased steadily towards 0%. In February 2019, the last ASFV-positive wild boar was detected. Since then, positive wild boar samples have exclusively been positive for ASFV-specific antibodies, suggesting the possible absence of circulating ASFV in the Estonian wild boar population. However, as the role of seropositive animals is controversially discussed and the presence of antibody-carriers is regarded as an indication of virus circulation at EU and OIE level, Estonia remains under trade restrictions. To make the disease status of a country reliable for trading partners and to facilitate the process of declaration of disease freedom, we suggest to monitor the prevalence of seropositive wild boar in absence of ASFV-positive animals. The possibility to include ASF in the list of diseases, for which an official pathway for recognition of disease status is defined by the OIE should be evaluated.


2011 ◽  
Vol 140 (2) ◽  
pp. 348-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. PANNWITZ ◽  
C. FREULING ◽  
N. DENZIN ◽  
U. SCHAARSCHMIDT ◽  
H. NIEPER ◽  
...  

SUMMARYBetween 1985 and 2008, a total of 102 387 wild boar sera originating from Eastern Germany covering an area of 108 589 km2 were tested for the presence of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV)-specific antibodies. From 1985 until 1991 and from 1992 until 2008, wild boar sera were exclusively investigated using either conventional seroneutralization assays (n=39 621) or commercial gB and full antigen ELISAs (n=62 766), respectively. Spatial-temporal analysis revealed an increasing ADV seroprevalence from 0·4% to 15·9%, on average, during the 24-year observation period that went along with a continuous spread of the infection in a western direction. During 2006 and 2008, 18% of the 66 affected districts had ADV seroprevalences >30%. There was a significant correlation between ADV seroprevalence and the hunting index of population density (HIPD) of wild boar in the entire study area, although this did not hold true for some regions. Seroprevalences did not differ between sexes but were age-dependent. East Germany has been officially free of Aujeszky's disease (pseudorabies) in domestic pigs since 1985. Although a risk for domestic pigs cannot be completely ruled out, experience has shown that ADV in domestic pigs could be eliminated although the virus was present in the wild boar population. Despite increasing ADV seroprevalence in the East German wild boar population no spillover infections from wild boar to domestic pigs have been reported. To further trace ADV infections in the wild boar population in Germany, a nationwide serological monitoring programme should be implemented.


2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 526-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mur ◽  
M. Boadella ◽  
B. Martínez-López ◽  
C. Gallardo ◽  
C. Gortazar ◽  
...  

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sánchez-Cordón ◽  
Nunez ◽  
Neimanis ◽  
Wikström-Lassa ◽  
Montoya ◽  
...  

After the re-introduction of African swine fever virus (ASFV) genotype II isolates into Georgia in 2007, the disease spread from Eastern to Western Europe and then jumped first up to Mongolian borders and later into China in August 2018, spreading out of control and reaching different countries of Southeast Asia in 2019. From the initial incursion, along with domestic pigs, wild boar displayed a high susceptibility to ASFV and disease development. The disease established self-sustaining cycles within the wild boar population, a key fact that helped its spread and that pointed to the wild boar population as a substantial reservoir in Europe and probably also in Asia, which may hinder eradication and serve as the source for further geographic expansion. The present review gathers the most relevant information available regarding infection dynamics, disease pathogenesis and immune response that experimental infections with different ASFV isolates belonging to genotype I and II in wild boar and feral pigs have generated. Knowledge gaps in areas such as disease pathogenesis and immune response highlights the importance of focusing future studies on unravelling the early mechanisms of virus-cell interaction and innate and/or adaptive immune responses, knowledge that will contribute to the development of efficacious treatments/vaccines against ASFV.


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 143-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
MP Frant ◽  
M Lyjak ◽  
L Bocian ◽  
A Barszcz ◽  
K Niemczuk ◽  
...  

African swine fever (ASF) was first described in 1921 in Kenya. The latest epidemic of ASF started in 2007 in Georgia. The virus was introduced to Poland in 2014. Since the beginning of the epidemics, the National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy (NVRI) has been testing wild boar samples from restricted areas and other parts of Poland to conduct passive and active surveillance for ASFV in these groups of animals. The aim of this study was to summarise the last two years of the ASF epidemiological status in Poland and the attempt to find disease patterns in the wild boar population. The period between 2017 and 2018 brought a massive number of new ASF cases in Poland. The number of ASF-positive wild boars jumped from 91 in 2016 to 1 140 in 2017 (approximately a 12 × increase), and 2018 was even worse, with the disease affecting 4 083 animals (2 435 cases; one case could even be 10 animals or more if they are found in one place next to each other). The percentage of positive wild boars found dead (passive surveillance) in the restricted area increased in 2018 to 73.1% from 70.8% in 2017. The chance of obtaining positive results in this group was six times higher in December and 4.5 times higher in January than in August and September. The percentage of positive wild boars detected through active surveillance reached 1.5% in 2018. The data suggested that, not only in Poland, but also in other ASF-affected countries, during the epizootic stage of the disease spread the most important measure is an effective passive surveillance of dead wild boars especially, in the winter season rather than in the summer.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 525
Author(s):  
Evelina Stončiūtė ◽  
Katja Schulz ◽  
Alvydas Malakauskas ◽  
Franz J. Conraths ◽  
Marius Masiulis ◽  
...  

After the introduction of African swine fever (ASF) into Lithuania in 2014, continuous spread of the disease resulted in infection of the wild boar populations in most parts of Lithuania. The virus has been moving closer to other Western European countries where pig density is high. An efficient surveillance system detecting ASF cases early in domestic and wild animals is necessary to manage this disease. To make surveillance appropriate and effective, it is critical to understand how key players perceive the implemented control measures. This study investigated the attitudes and beliefs of hunters in Lithuania regarding currently implemented or proposed measures for the control of ASF in the wild boar population. Study data were collected through questionnaires distributed via the internet and by hunting associations in Lithuania. In total, 621 fully completed questionnaires were received and analyzed. All measures interfering with extensive hunting, like ban of driven or individual hunting or ban of supplementary feeding were considered as unacceptable and as ineffective measures to control ASF in wild boar. However, selective hunting of female wild boar was generally considered as an unethical act and therefore rejected. Some measures that seem to have been successful in other countries, like involvement of additional forces, were rejected by Lithuanian hunters, thus implementation of these measures could be difficult. The study highlighted that there is a need for improving important relationships with other stakeholders, since many hunters expressed a lack of trust in governmental institutions and regarded cooperation with them as insufficient. Hunters emphasized that their motivation to support passive surveillance measures could be improved with financial compensation and reduction of workload. The present study provides insights into hunters’ perceptions, which may be used as a foundation for additional discussions with these important stakeholders and for adapting measures to improve their acceptance if appropriate.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (104) ◽  
pp. 18-22
Author(s):  
Ye. O. Dudnyk

The article presents the results of the analysis of the epizootic situation in Ukraine regarding African swine fever among domestic and wild pigs from 2012 to 2020 and identifies the main sources of virus spread as well as weak links in the biological safety system of farms. When studying the statistical material of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection regarding animal morbidity, revealed a territorial pattern between the outbreaks of African swine fever among wild boars and domestic pigs of private farms and pig-breeding complexes, and proved the involvement of the European boar in the epizootic process as a natural reservoir and mobile focus of infection. Calculated the number of outbreaks of African swine fever among wild boars and domestic pigs within the same region and district, and studied the sequence of the emergence of foci on limited territories. Analyzed the natural focality of the disease, the probability of infection transmission to the domestic pig farm sector, and the role of infected objects in the spread of the virus among wild animal populations. From 2012 to 2020 inclusive, according to FAO statistics, 537 cases of African swine fever were recorded in Ukraine, 21.7 % of which were associated with wild boars. In 2017 and 2018, the role of the European wild boar in the epizootic process is best reflected, when 10.9 % (2017) and 20.4 % (2018) of outbreaks of African swine fever among domestic animals recorded in the same administrative districts, where during a year this desiase was detected among wild pigs. When analyzing statistical data of the recent years, the effectiveness of introducing more detailed monitoring of African swine fever among wild boars using modern laboratory methods and improving biosafety measures in the private sector and directly on hunting grounds has been proved. Further research is based on predicting the dynamics of the spread of African swine fever in Ukraine and the role of wild boar in this epizootic process. In addition, the role of wild boar in the spread of African swine fever in other countries and the most effective foreign methods of disease control and prevention will be analyzed.


Biologija ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Pilevičienė ◽  
Vaclovas Jurgelevičius ◽  
Žygimantas Janeliūnas ◽  
Gediminas Pridotkas ◽  
Petras Mačiulskis ◽  
...  

African swine fever (ASF) is a contagious disease of key importance that occurs in wild boar population and domestic pigs. To date, there is no vaccine or treatment available, hence disease surveillance and stamping out in case of an outbreak is the only way to control it. A duplex ASF-IC real-time PCR assay was optimised using field samples obtained in Lithuania and results of singleplex and duplex real-time PCR assays allowing the identification of the ASF virus were compared. The specificity and sensitivity of ASF virus detection was validated using a reference sample of positive and negative virus nucleic acid and ASF virus positive and negative samples obtained from animals in Lithuania. Results prove that duplex ASF-IC real-time PCR assay provides a rapid, sensitive, and reliable molecular tool for ASF virus detection in wild boar population and domestic pigs. In general, it was found that duplex ASF-IC real-time PCR assay proves to be faster and more sensitive than singleplex real-time PCR and therefore has a high potential to be applied in routine analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (02) ◽  
pp. 6501-2021
Author(s):  
KAZIMIERZ TARASIUK ◽  
ZYGMUNT GIŻEJEWSKI

Recent years (since 2013) have witnessed an increasing interest in wild boars in Europe because this animal species has become the most important reservoir of the African swine fever virus (ASFV). In all countries affected by ASF since 2013, the virus originated in wild boar populations, and the disease was directly or indirectly transmitted from wild boars to domestic pigs. In Poland, the first known case of ASF was detected in February 2014, and nearly 10 300 cases were reported by the end of April 2020. A correlation was found between the density of wild boar populations and the number of ASF cases. The global population of wild boars has increased considerably, and their natural range has expanded, particularly northward and westward. The mean annual growth rate in the wild boar population in Europe is around 100%. Milder winters and agricultural transformations that involve growing a single crop (in particular, maize) over large areas are the key factors contributing to the increase in the number of wild boars. In the opinion of most experts, recreational hunting is not sufficient to control the expansion of wild boar populations in Europe. Undoubtedly, wild boar populations will continue to be the main reservoir of the ASFV for many years to come, and wild boars will remain the major risk factor for ASF spread in commercial pig herds. Therefore, a new long-term approach to wild boar population management is needed


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