African swine fever A deadly disease of piggery

Abstract

African swine fever is a highly contagious deadly viral disease of pigs, caused by large DNA virus of the family Asfarvirdae known as Asfarvirus. The virus causes mortality upto 100% in the affected flocks. The disease was first time indentified in Kenya in the year 1921 and since then it has spread to several African and European countries. In 2018, it was been reported from China and 2019 from neighbouring countries of India like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, Combodia and Bhutan. The disease has been reported from India in the month of May, 2020 and reported to OIE. The disease has serious economic lose to the farmers and poses restriction in the sale of live pigs and pork products. At present, there is no successful vaccine against this disease. So, only early diagnosis and confinement of the diseased animal in a particular localized area is the main target. The only solution of this disease is the strict bio-security measures at the state borders and at the level of individual pig farms.