African swine fever is a viral disease that can infect wild and domestic pigs, whereupon the infected animals die with a probability of over 90% within a few days. African swine fever has not yet been detected in wild boar in Germany, especially in Eastern European countries the cases have been becoming more frequent for years.
Symptoms of ASF:
Infected animals have high fever, reluctance to eat, incoordination, weakness, diarrhea, and tend to bleed - which can show up in skin, nose, and blood in the droppings. They are also less likely to flee. Breaking the animal open may reveal bloody, swollen lymph nodes, an enlarged spleen, and pinpoint hemorrhages in all internal organs. However, these symptoms are not necessarily observed in ASF - wild boar can also be infested without the appearance of these symptoms. A definite diagnosis can only be made by a veterinarian.
Transmission:
The virus is transmitted by droplet infection through sweat or other body fluids. Transmission can occur directly from one animal to another, but the pathogen can also be ingested through food. Experts estimate that the virus can spread 25 km per year via infection of wild boar. However, it can spread much faster through humans, who cannot be infected but can be contaminated.
Dangers of African swine fever:
African swine fever is not a zoonosis, so the disease cannot spread to humans. However, the dangers for the wild and domestic pig population are enormous, as ASF is very contagious, and has a very high lethality. In the event of an ASF case occurring, all domestic pigs within a radius of several kilometers would have to be culled to counteract the spread of the disease.
Countermeasures against ASF:
The most important countermeasure is increased hunting of wild boar to reduce the density of game and thus the potential for infection. However, wild boar can reach annual growth rates of up to 300 percent. Other countermeasures are aimed primarily at preventing humans from transporting the virus themselves without realizing it. If possible, hunters should not hunt in Eastern European areas where the virus has already occurred, and if they do, they should thoroughly clean and disinfect their clothing afterwards. In addition, under no circumstances should leftover food be left in the forest - because these may contain the pathogen. Even in cured ham, the pathogen persists for several weeks. For humans it is harmless, but for infected pigs it is almost always fatal.
The most important measures for hunters are increased hunting of wild boar, e.g. during milk ripening or driven hunts. In the case of conspicuous characteristics such as atypical behavior, the official veterinarian must be informed immediately.
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