Published Date: 2008-01-29 11:00:14
Subject: PRO/AH> African swine fever - Russia: (Chechnya), control
Archive Number: 20080129.0370

AFRICAN SWINE FEVER - RUSSIA: (CHECHNYA), CONTROL
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Date: Sun 27 Jan 2008
Source: Vesti Severnij Kavkaz, RIA (Russian News & Information Agency)
Novosti report [in Russian, trans. Corr.ATS, edited]
<http://skavkaz.rfn.ru/rnews.html?id=124019&cid=8>

Domestic swine culled in Chechnya to control disease spread
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According to Almakhat Dukaev, head of the Section of Contagious and
Non-contagious Infections, Veterinary Department, the whole population of
domestically kept swine in Chechnya had to be culled following an outbreak
of African swine fever (ASF) in the Republic at the end of 2007.
Dukaev clarified that the action would include territories around military
installations, since -- to the best of his knowledge -- swine are not kept
in other locations in Chechnya. At the end of 2007, an infected wild boar
was found adjacent to the border with Georgia. Since then Rosselkhoznadzor
[Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Inspection Service. - Mod.AS] carried
out the shooting of wild boars in 17 regions of the republic which include
forested zones.
Dukaev considered that the infection entered Chechnya from adjacent
Georgia. He stated that cheap pork was imported through the port of Poti in
Georgia some time ago, becoming the source of the current regional spread.
According to his data, up to 100 000 swine have been culled in Georgia, and
some 40 000 in South Osetia.
--
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ProMED-mail
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[Russia submitted to the OIE (Office International des Epizooties; World
Organization for Animal Health) an immediate notification on the diagnosis
of ASF in the Chechen Republic on 4 Dec 2007; reportedly, the outbreak had
started on 5 Nov 2007 and was laboratory-confirmed on 19 Nov 2007. For the
report, with map, go to
<http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=event_summary&this_country_code=RUS&reportid=6546>.
As source of the outbreak/origin of infection, the report mentioned
"transboundary migration of wild boars". The report included the following
epidemiological comments: "Wild boars move freely across the subalpine
grassland along the Argoun and the Shatoy-Argoun rivers, which run 30 to 40
km (around 19-25 mi) on the Georgian territory. Stepped-up biosecurity
measures are applied in the pig farms."
According to the current newswire, the authorities have now decided to move
into killing all pigs kept in farms, which -- reportedly -- are located
only around (Russian) military installations. This is a drastic measure,
which can be explained by 2 main considerations: the extensive, wide spread
of the ASF virus within the large wild-boar population, and the fact that
there is no vaccine against ASF. Similar strategies have been applied
several times in the past, such as in Haiti (1978).
The epizootic of ASF in the trans Caucasus countries started in Georgia in
April 2007 and has spread to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabagh, and Chechnya.
On 16 Jan 2008, Georgia notified the OIE the following: "Since the last
reported outbreaks [15 Aug 2007], there have been no new cases of African
swine fever in Racha-Lechkhum-Kvemo Svaneti region (Ambrolauri, Oni,
Tsageri, and Lentekhi districts). Consequently, according to a Georgian
government decision, limits on trade and movement are abolished in that
region." This notification has been interpreted by the OIE as resolving the
outbreak in Georgia. - Mod.AS]

See Also

2007
---
African swine fever - Russia (02): (Chechnya), OIE 20071207.3940
African swine fever - Russia: (Chechnya) 20071204.3908
African swine fever - Armenia (05) 20071231.4195
African swine fever - Armenia (04): (Ararat) 20071213.4013
African swine fever - Russia (02): (Chechnya), OIE 20071207.3940
African swine fever - Russia: (Chechnya) 20071204.3908
African swine fever - Nagorno-Karabagh (02): susp, RFI 20071104.3589
African swine fever - Nagorno-Karabagh, susp, RFI 20071102.3562
African swine fever - Armenia (03) 20071021.3430
African swine fever - Georgia, Armenia: FAO 20071004.3275
African swine fever - Armenia (02) 20070922.3150
African swine fever - Georgia (11): SDC mission report 20070920.3131
.................arn/mj/sh

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