ProMED-mail |

Published Date: 2011-06-15 15:59:41
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever - Russia (11): (TV), FAO
Archive Number: 20110615.1821

AFRICAN SWINE FEVER - RUSSIA (11): (TVER), FAO
**********************************************

A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

In this posting
[1] Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and
Phytosanitary Surveillance)
[2] FAO

******
[1] Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and
Phytosanitary Surveillance)
Date: Fri 10 Jun 2011
Source: Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and
Phytosanitary Surveillance) News release [edited]
http://fsvps.ru/fsvps/news/3132.html?_language=en

Outbreak of African swine fever [ASF] in Tver Oblast
--------------------------------------------------------
ASF virus [ASFV] genetic material was detected in the samples of
pathological material taken from a pig in the backyard in the
Danilovskoe village, the Kalininsky Rayon, Tver Oblast [region] by the
FGI [Federal Center for Animal Health] "Tver Interoblast Veterinary
Laboratory".

The pathological material samples were sent to the All-Russia
Research Institute of Veterinary Virology and Microbiology of the
Rosselkhozacademy to confirm the diagnosis.

Anti-epidemic measures are being carried out in the affected area,
the source of infection and the routes of its introduction into the
territory of the Kalininsky Rayon, Tver Oblast, are being
investigated.

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Castleview Pedigree English Longhorns
Gut Laach
52385 Nideggen
Germany
http://www.cvlonghorns.de
<cvlonghorns@aol.com>

[The village of Danilovskoe in Tver Region can be located via the
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Russia at
http://healthmap.org/r/0Zhc. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

******
[2] FAO
Date: Thu 26 May 2011
Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) news release
[edited]
http://www.fao.org/news/story/jp/item/75335/icode/

Concerted international effort urged on African swine fever spreading
in Eurasia, seen as global threat
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Warning of a likely imminent upsurge of a deadly pig disease in the
Caucasus region and Russian Federation, FAO today called on affected
countries to step up precautionary measures and for a concerted
international effort to prevent the infection spreading more widely
across the Northern Hemisphere.

"African swine fever is fast becoming a global issue," said Juan
Lubroth, FAO's chief veterinary officer. "It now poses an immediate
threat to Europe and beyond. Countries need to be on the alert and to
strengthen their preparedness and contingency plans."

Measures recommended for countries by FAO include risk analyses to
evaluate the situation and assess potential consequences. Such
analyses should pave the way for fully-fledged contingency plans and
provide the rationale for selecting disease-control strategies.

Importantly, there is currently no vaccine for the disease, which is
very often lethal to pigs but is not harmful to humans.

Preventive strategies include quarantine, on-farm security, and other
measures aimed at minimizing the risk of ASF being introduced and
becoming established. Early-warning contingency plans include
epidemiological information-gathering, training, and awareness
campaigns.

African swine fever (ASF) was introduced into Georgia from southern
Africa late in 2006, entering through the Black Sea port of Poti,
where garbage from a ship was taken to a dump where pigs came to feed.
Currently, ASF is spreading northwards at the rate of roughly 350 km
[186 mi] a year.

Outbreaks are distinctly seasonal, with the highest number of cases
registered in the summer and autumn. But as the ASF wave travels
northwards a separate phenomenon, long-distance "jumps", is also
occurring.

For example in the spring of 2011 ASF suddenly appeared in the port
of Murmansk, more than 3000 km [1864 mi] from southern Russia, and
close to the border with Finland. In 2009 it leaped 2000 km [1242 mi]
to St Petersburg where, however, it appears to have been contained
after a relapse at the end of 2010 and again in March 2011.

ASF long-distance jumps are food-borne, with virus surviving in pig
meat products taken by travellers. At the destination, food scraps may
be fed to pigs, setting off a new outbreak.

The frequency of such jumps is increasing as the originally-infected
territory enlarges. The ASF virus strain now spreading is a very
aggressive one.

ASF is now considered as being established in Georgia, Armenia, and
the southern part of the Russian Federation. And the number of
long-distance outbreaks has increased this year [2011].

Russia plans to set up a buffer zone next to the infected region,
which may involve suspension of pig production in certain areas and
measures directed at wild boar populations.

Still, progress will be difficult as farmers often appear not to be
reporting ASF outbreaks for fear of seeing their pigs culled without
adequate compensation.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[All reported 133 ASF outbreaks in Russia since September 2009,
including a previous outbreak in Tver which was described in Russia's
last follow-up report (no 59) to the OIE, dated 3 Jun 2011 (see
ProMED-mail 20110604.1706), are presented on OIE's map at
http://web.oie.int/wahis/public.php?page=event_summary&reportid=8462.
- Mod.AS]

See Also