African Swine Fever (ASF) Watch

The Vets to Vets: African Swine Fever (V2V) Workshop

Download the V2V Workshop Report Here 

 

With its continued spread to new regions in 2023 and 2024, African Swine Fever (ASF) remains a significant threat to the US swine industry. The impact of a potential ASF outbreak in the US would be catastrophic due to widespread depopulation and lost export markets. While US swine producers and veterinarians have access to many general resources for preparedness, field-based and practical knowledge are not always readily available online and may be sensitive to share openly.

To create a platform for sharing knowledge on ASF prevention and control, CAHFS launched their first Vets to Vets (V2V) workshop in September 2023. The objective of V2V was to connect US swine veterinarians to international veterinarians and producers with extensive, first-hand ASF-experience to share important information for biosecurity, surveillance, and more. Twenty-two participants attended, including 6 experts from 3 ASF-affected countries, 6 moderators, and 10 US veterinarians. In small groups, they discussed various topics on ASF control and prevention. To learn more about the V2V event and read a summary of the lessons learned, please download the full workshop report.

With the latest occurrence of ASFv in our own region, CAHFS uses this site to post new and emerging information regarding disease spread and impact. You can also view the swine disease global surveillance project monthly swine disease reports on this page. Below is the most recent set of videos, you will also find resources for better understanding ASF and the threat it poses to global swine populations.

This presentation was made by Dr. Andres Perez, DVM, PhD, to the US SHIP House of Delegate Meeting on August 16, 2022.  The US Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP)is a USDA Veterinary Services sponsored pilot project being pursued with support of state and industry partners. For more information about this initiative, visit: https://usswinehealthimprovementplan.com/ 

The following presentations were recorded by Dr. Andrés Perez, CAHFS Director, regarding the current outbreak of ASFv in the Dominican Republic. These presentations are provided in English and Spanish.

The first presentation summarizes Dr. Perez's visit to the Dominican Republic September 13-17, 2021, to connect with local partners and to assess the disease situation in that country.

The second presentation is an update recorded after Dr. Perez's visit in June 2022 for further investigation and assessment of the ongoing efforts to control and mitigate ASFv. If you have not already, we encourage you to watch both parts, in order, for important background information and new updates.

 

 

English Version

ASF - English Mon, 9/27/2021

 

UPDATE: JUNE 2022, Thursday 6/23/2022

 

Spanish Version

ASF - Español Lun, 09/27/2021

 

ACTUALIZACIÓN: JUNIO 2022 (00:12:18) Jueves, 6/23/2022

 

ASFWatch was the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety's fall 2018 Emerging Issues feature. ASFWatch includes a series of resources related to recent ASF outbreaks, including video and audio podcasts, timelines, maps, fact sheets, infographics, and other timely information.

This page is not being regularly updated with new information. To receive the most up-to-date information on African swine fever, you may view our swine disease global surveillance project for monthly swine disease reports

Swine disease surveillance reports

August 2021 highlights

  • ASF in the Americas: the first report of the disease after 40 years was confirmed by the USDA in samples originated from the Dominican Republic.
  • First cases of ASF in German pig farms: three outbreaks were detected in Brandenburg state close to the border with Poland.
  • Spike in ASF cases in Poland: authorities reported an increase of 520% in ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs compared to the first five months of the year.

ASF Risk Analysis

recently published study (Jurado et al, 2018) estimated the risk for introduction of ASF virus into the U.S. through smuggling of pork in air passengers’ luggage. 

Results suggest that the mean risk of ASF virus introduction into the U.S. via air travel has increased 183%, compared to the risk estimated before the disease spread into China, East Asia, and Western Europe in 2018 and 2019.

Read the report

ASFWatch

Recent ASF Outbreaks

African swine fever has been spreading across the Caucasus region and Europe since 2007. In 2018 China saw its first outbreak of African swine fever, and the disease has been spreading across Asia in the year since. 

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Timeline of African swine fever

African swine fever was first observed in 1909, and has since spread throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia.

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What is the best way to prepare my swine farm against ASF? Is feed a concern for the introduction of ASF in the United States? Is there a vaccine available against ASF? 

The College of Veterinary Medicine Swine Group has compiled a repository of information that answers these African swine fever questions and more. Check out their page at z.umn.edu/AfricanSwineFever

ASF Conversations

ASF Conversations is a series from the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety highlighting emerging issues in global health, with a focus on recent African swine fever outbreaks across the globe.

ASF Conversations features a series of videos and audio podcasts of experts interviewing experts about relevant topics related to recent ASF outbreaks.

Episode 006 // Policy Considerations for African Swine Fever

In episode 6, Dr. Jose Manuel Sanchez Vizcaino, full professor at the Universidad Complutense Madrid and director of the OIE reference laboratory for African Swine Fever, and Dr. Kaylee Myhre Errecaborde, instructor in the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, discuss the global and local policy challenges in the control of African swine fever.

Watch episode 6 on YouTube or listen to the podcast version on SoundCloud.

Episode 005 // What if African Swine Fever Came to Minnesota?

In episode 5, Dr. Marie Culhane, professor in the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Beth Thompson, executive director of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health discuss how Minnesota would respond to a hypothetical African swine fever outbreak and the structures in place to mitigate disease impact.

Watch episode 5 on YouTube or listen to the podcast version on SoundCloud.

Episode 004 // African Swine Fever in the Swine Industry

In episode 4, Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center, and Dr. John Deen, professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, discuss the potential impact of an ASF outbreak on the United States swine industry and the role of the Swine Health Information Center.

Watch episode 4 on YouTube or listen to the podcast version on SoundCloud.

Episode 003 // African swine fever virus overview

In episode 3, Dr. Jose Manuel Sanchez Vizcaino, Universidad Complutense Madrid, and Dr. Tom Molitor, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, discuss an overview of African swine fever virus including a brief history, distribution, characteristics, and transmission of the disease.

Watch episode 3 on YouTube or listen to the podcast version on SoundCloud.

Episode 002 // ASF In the Field - Biosecurity

In episode 2, Dr. Montserrat Torremorell, assistant professor, and Dr. Gustavo Lopez, PhD student, of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine discuss characteristics of African swine fever in the field and the experience of working in the 2014 ASF outbreak in Russia.

Watch episode 2 on YouTube or listen to the podcast version on SoundCloud.

Episode 001 // African Swine Fever Diagnostics

In the first episode in the series, Dr. Jerry Torrison, director, and Dr. Stephanie Rossow, veterinary diagnostician, at the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL)  discuss the processes in the diagnostics of African swine fever and the resources available at the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. 

Watch episode 1 on YouTube or listen to the podcast version on SoundCloud.

Resources

University of Minnesota Fact Sheet

Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Swine Disease Global Surveillance Project 

The SDGS project features monthly reports and special announcements of recent swine diseases. Produced by the U of M and SHIC, the tool also features spontaneous reporting.

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Secure Pork Supply Plan

The SPS Plan includes Continuity of Business procedures and other resources for pork producers, veterinarians, packers, and regulatory officials.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)