Many countries in the world have been faced with a global disease, which is still poorly understood. A disease that can tightly derail a part of the economy of even the most developed country. "African swine fever" is the name of the disease that affects agriculture and the budget of many countries. The fight against African swine fever is carried out everywhere, but so far they have not learned how to defeat it effectively.
African swine fever, the symptoms of which appear shortly before the death of the animal, is a very contagious viral disease. The virus of the disease is very stable and dangerous for wild and domestic pigs of any age. Animals are infected by airborne droplets from diseased or already ill individuals. The carriers of the disease are people, vehicles, insects. Outbreaks of the disease appear at any time of the year.
African swine fever: symptoms of the disease
The incubation period of the disease is usually from 3 to 9 days. The disease begins acutely with raising the temperature in the animal to 42 degrees Celsius. The main symptoms of the onset of the disease are:
- high body temperature of the animal;
- shortness of breath with a piercing cough;
- excited behavior;
- inflammation of the eyelids and eyeballs.
At the last stage of the development of the disease arrhythmia, thirst, weakness, hemorrhages in organs and tissues, paralysis of the limbs occur . Signs of African plague in pigs often appear late, when the animal is no longer possible to save. Having been ill, but the surviving individual is a virus carrier forever. Immunity from the disease is not produced.
Diagnosis of African Swine Fever (ASF)
For diagnosis, the animal is removed for laboratory research by veterinary officers. It is on the basis of clinical and pathological data that it is concluded that this is African swine fever. Symptoms of the disease are carefully studied in order to differentiate the diagnosis.
African swine fever control measures
If an animal with a suspected ASF is detected, a quarantine is imposed on the territory of the farm, and the entire number of pigs is destroyed by the bloodless method. All inventory, manure, feed are burned, and the room is treated three times with a disinfectant solution. Processing of vehicles in contact with the source of infection is also carried out. Immediately excluded the import and export of animals from the quarantine zone.
African swine fever: how to prevent
Measures for the prevention of ASF infection include:
- exclusion of free keeping animals;
- fencing the farm from other animals entering the territory;
- conducting a daily examination by an animal veterinarian;
- disinfection of vehicles at the entrance to the farm;
- heat treatment of animal feed;
- compliance with sanitary standards in the territory of animal welfare, etc.
What to do if you suspect that your animals have African swine fever? Symptoms are similar to other infections, but it’s not worth the risk. You must immediately call the veterinary service, which will determine the disease and the further course of events.