Key Facts about African Swine Fever
1.
80+ % of pigs infected with African Swine Fever die.
(Supplied: The Pirbright Institute)
Electron microscope image of the Swine Fever virus.
The viruses measure 80–120 nanometres in diameter.
2.
It is estimated that in the 2009 flu pandemic, 11–21% of the current global population, approximately 6.8 billion, contracted the illness. This represents 700 million to 1.4 billion people — potential numbers surpassing even the Spanish flu pandemic. Actual recorded fatalities ranged between 12,000 and 18,000. However, in a 2012 study, the CDC estimated more than 284,000 possible fatalities worldwide.
Photographed at the CDC Laboratory.
3.
Subsequent human cases of swine fever were reported in India in 2015. Reports stated that over 31,156 positive test cases and 1,841 deaths took place up to March 2015.
A devastating disease, nearly eradicating the global pig population. 800 million pigs dead.
Over a quarter of the planet's domestic pig population as a virus spreads rapidly across Eurasia. Experts worry this may just be the start. Half of the pigs in China – which numbered nearly 440 million last year (some 50 per cent of the world’s pigs) – have either died of African swine fever (ASF) or have been culled to reduce the virus' spread.
ASF claims origin in East Africa. In 2007, it reached Georgia in the Caucasus in the form of contaminated meat and infected wild boar. It has now spread to all parts of Russia and eastern Europe, with wild boar appearing as far west as Belgium. The spread has also made it's way east in Asia, resulting in huge pig casualties in Vietnam and nearby.
ASF was intitailly spotted in China in August 2018. It has since spread to all of China's provinces, and outside China with the likes of North and South Korea, using nomadic wild pigs as a vessel.
Wild infected herds were culled in efforts to prevent even further spread. But, with a fatality rate in pigs of nearly 100 per cent, the virus was likely the largest cause of death within these herds.
China
The disease was first reported in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, early August 2018. By the end of August 2019, the entire pig population of China had declined by about 40 percent. China accounted for more than half of the global pig population in 2018, and the epidemic there alone has killed nearly one-quarter of all the world’s pigs.
By late September, the disease had resulted in economic losses estimated at one trillion yuan (about $141 billion), according to Li Defa, dean of the College of Animal Science and Technology at the China Agricultural University in Beijing. Qiu Huaji, a leading Chinese expert on porcine infectious diseases, has stated that African swine fever has been no less devastating “than a war” — with relevance to “its effects on the national interest and people’s livelihoods and its political, economic and social impact.”
Nigeria (Africa)
Hundreds of thousands of pigs have been culled by Nigerian farmers in response to an explosion of African swine fever (ASF), according to reports from The Guardian and the Independent.
1.
The current outbreak has hit Nigeria’s largest pig co-operative, Oke Aro Farm, where over 300,000 pigs have been killed. However, Oke Aro Farm employees stated to The Guardian more than 500,000 pigs had now been culled at the co-operative alone.
2.
Whilst there is no official data, the farmers who spoke to the Guardian estimated nearly one million pigs had been culled so far. The farmers who spoke to the Guardian estimated that the pig industry in the country had lost up to 20bn naira (£40m), putting more than 20,000 jobs at risk. Timing makes managing the outbreak difficult, having to also deal with the coronavirus, which has infected 17,148 people and led to 455 deaths, according to figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
3.
The recent wave of infections is by far the worst according to Ayo Omirin, a pig farmer at Oke-Aro who has lost more than 600 of his 800 pigs. Mr Omirin stated: “We have never experienced anything of this scale in the past. This is the worst and largest outbreak ever.”
Papua New Guinea
A swine fever that has already killed thousands of pigs in Papua New Guinea continues to spread rapidly. The African Swine Influenza has been confirmed in Hela, Enga and the Southern Highlands provinces.
African Swine Fever (ASF) has reached Papua New Guinea, part of a Pacific island north of Australia. Papua New Guinea became the most recent country to confirm the presence of the disease on March 5, 2020 following the deaths of approximately 396 ‘free ranging pigs’, reported by a livestock official based in Mendi town. The clinical symptoms included a number of ‘sudden deaths’, with a percentage of the pigs surviving the outbreak. Estimates report approximately 500 cases from a group of 700 pigs, according to the official OIE report.
The pig deaths in Papua New Guinea occurred between November 2019 and February 2020 and the National Agriculture and Quarantine Inspection Authority conducted the first tests. Samples were also sent to Australia, where the cases were only confirmed as African swine fever last week by John Simon, PNG’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock. It has since been confirmed by the World Organisation for Animal Health.
‘This discovery has caused a stir in the Agriculture Department – with concerns that spread of the contagious virus is a huge threat to not only domesticated pigs, but the entire country's pork industry, stated the Minister in a statement.
Hon John Simon has placed three provinces in quarantine, – Southern Highlands, Hela and Enga – and suggested that farmers in that area slaughter their remaining pigs. But, under PNG’s current State of Emergency, Simon admits that policing the quarantine and suggested slaughter will be an issue, with police stretched in an effort to keep people at home to prevent the spread of COVID – 19.
There is also a complete ban on the movement of pigs and pig products outside of the affected areas and the Chief Stock Inspector has been given wider powers to enforce the quarantine.
More than a quarter of the world's pigs have been killed as African swine fever keeps spreading. Here's what we know.
Causes
Swine influenza is caused by influenza A virus, an orthomyxovirus with an RNA and protein core and surface spikes bearing hemagglutinating (H) and neuraminidase (N) antigens. A number of different strains exist and can be described by their H and N antigen combinations.
The virus is highly variable and is constantly changing its surface proteins. Classical swine influenza is associated with influenza virus A HIN1, and different strains of H1N1 virus occur in Europe and many other parts of the world. Some strains can cause more severe disease in pigs, and some are associated with human infection.
In many European countries, Japan and other South East Asian countries H3N2 also causes disease. Many H3N2 isolates from Europe are closely related antigenically to A/7/Port Chalmers/1/73, a human strain that appears to have persisted in pigs. The virus enters the respiratory tract and multiplies rapidly within cells of the bronchial lining. At 24 hours post-infection, most cells are infected and mucoid pus is present in the bronchioles. Infection has largely disappeared by day 9. Infection strips the bronchial lining to stop secretions being cleared, giving rise to pneumonia, allowing other respiratory pathogens to invade.
Mode of Transmission
Swine Influenza viruses spread in the following ways: snout to snout contact, droplet infection,aerosol from pig to pig within a pen or airspace, and from contaminated drinkers and feeders. The virus persists longer in cool damp conditions, and longest in cool slurry.
Spread from farm to farm is usually by means of carrier pigs, but aerosol infections occur, particularly in pigs with access to the open air or those housed outside. Influenza viruses can also be introduced to pig units by humans and by birds.
Workers or visitors to pig farms can easily transport/spread the virus on their clothing, or with the transfer of machinery from farm to farm.
The Solution
PM Resources has partnered with world leading disinfectant manufacturer, Dove Biotech (Thailand) and their dedicated scientific team. Dove Biotech has developed and independently tested ANTINFEK 30PP - a product which successfully eliminates various Swine Fever virus “on contact.” A true world first, ANTINFEK 30PP as the ability to control and completely destroy Swine Fever virus on contact.
It is completely organic, safe to use on all animal breeds and humans.
ANTINFEK 30PP is applied by the use of simple fogging/spraying machines, on all surface areas where the pigs are kept and housed (including the pigs themselves). Antinfek 30PP has also been developed to be totally safe when sprayed on the pigs feed. This tertiary application surface ensures all possible virus locations are managed.
ANTINFEK 30PP also eliminates all harmful bacteria on contact. This allows farmers to be reassured that other potential viruses/bacteria are eliminated with the use of a single product. With a minimal amount of on-site training, every farmer can learn how to spray the product within their own farm,
Until ANTINFEK 30PP was developed – the world has been helplessly watching the rapid spread of the Swine Fever virus with no means to stop the spread of the virus, subsequently suffering enormous livestock loss.
In collaboration with Dove Biotech - PM Resources offers a detailed step-by-step Spray and Eradication program to manage the Swine Fever virus, bringing peace of mind to all the farmers and government departments.
Once implemented - the pig populations will recover and thrive with efficiency, returning a country's farming community the confidence it once had.