Creatures in the Wild - Porcine fever outbreak at a farm for raising pigs in Vorpommern-Greifswald.
African Swine Fever (ASF) has been detected in a pig herd located in Pasewalk, Vorpommern-Greifswald district. The Vorpommern-Greifswald district's veterinary office head, Holger Vogel, clarifies that "this is the first case of African Swine Fever in a pig herd within our district." The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI) confirmed the suspicion of ASF on Thursday. Roughly 3,500 pigs in the herd are scheduled to be culled, and protective and surveillance zones have been established.
On Wednesday, two pigs at the pig farm in Pasewalk were observed with a high fever leading to an initial suspicion of red fever disease. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Safety, and Fisheries examined the first samples, which confirmed the possibility of ASF. Further samples were then sent to the national reference laboratory: the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, where the outcome confirmed: African Swine Fever.
Vogel reckons that the outbreak has no initial connection with the wild boar population. The herd of the affected farm has since been sealed off by the veterinary authority, and the necessary steps have been implemented: the animals are to be culled and disposed of to inhibit further virus shedding and spread. Farms can file claims for compensation for culled animals.
Epidemiologists are currently attempting to ascertain the origins of the pathogen. The virus could have also reached the animals via people. Some pigs from the farm had left the premises. It is essential to identify the movements. Questions like "Where could the source of infection be? When and who entered the herd?" are among the inquiries to be resolved.
A protective zone with a three-kilometer radius and a ten-kilometer surveillance zone have been mentioned. This region encompasses about 67 farms with approximately 7,000 pigs. These farms are under official observation, and apart from other regulations, slaughtering is temporarily disallowed. "We don't suspect that there's anything in this region right now," said Vogel, "but precautions are necessary."
African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral illness afflicting domestic and wild pigs, almost always resulting in a fatal and incurable disease. There is no feasible way to vaccinate pigs for preventative measures. The illness can be transferred directly from one animal to another, or indirectly through contaminated items such as clothing and footwear, as well as feed, by humans to multiple sites. The virus is not contagious or dangerous for humans and other animal species.
