What Is Swine Fever and Can We Prevent its Resurgence?

Keep your hogs safe from this lethal disease by following these key preventative tips.

By Rebecca Sanderson
Published on September 12, 2022
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by Adobestock/Aleksey Sagitov

What is swine fever? While ASF is not transmittable to humans, it spreads easily and rapidly among swine, and humans can transport the disease. Learn how to recognize African swine fever symptoms to protect your and your neighbors’ animals, and how to practice good biosecurity.

African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease that affects the hog family and is almost always fatal. ASF was discovered in Kenya in the early 20th century and is endemic to much of the African continent. In recent years, it’s spread across Asia and Eastern Europe. While it had been eradicated from the Americas for 40 years, it was recently found in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. How does it spread, and what does this mean for hog owners?

African Swine Fever Symptoms

ASF affects a pig’s vascular system and causes the infected animal to bleed out internally. African swine fever symptoms are often accompanied by a high fever. There are roughly 24 genotypes of ASF. Clinical forms are divided into peracute (severe), acute, subacute, chronic, and asymptomatic presentations.

Peracute presentations are associated with loss of appetite, little to no activity, and a high fever of 105.8 to 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Sudden death without any warning signs can also happen.

Acute presentations have an incubation period of 4 to 7 days and are associated with blotchy skin, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, eye and nose discharge, loss of appetite, general weakness, and a fever of 104 to 107.6 degrees. Death generally follows within 6 to 9 days or 11 to 15 days, depending on the strain.

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