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Source– This post on African Swine Fever (ASF) has been created based on the article “3,350 pigs killed by African Swine Fever disease mizoram aizwal animal husbandry veterinary” published in “zeebiz” on 26 June 2024.
Why in the news?
Officials recently reported that the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Mizoram has killed over 3,350 pigs since February.
About African Swine Fever (ASF)
| Aspects | Description |
| About | The ASF virus is a large, enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus, and it is the sole member of the genus Asfivirus within the family Asfarviridae. |
| Symptoms | 1. The clinical symptoms of ASF can closely resemble those of classical swine fever. 2. Infected pigs typically exhibit fever, weakness, lack of appetite, inflamed eye mucous membranes, red skin, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. |
| Transmission | 1. ASF can be spread through direct contact with infected animals. 2. Indirect transmission can occur through the ingestion of products from infected animals or contact with contaminated clothing, vehicles, or equipment. 3. In regions where infectious soft ticks are present, bites from these ticks can also transmit the virus. 4. The ASF virus is capable of surviving for extended periods in pork and pork meat products. |
| Mortality | African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects both domestic and wild pigs, with a mortality rate that can reach 100%. |
| Spread | 1. The virus is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa but has spread to many other regions of the world, including Asia and Europe. 2. In India, ASF was first confirmed in the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in February-March 2020. |
| Impact | 1. ASF does not pose a danger to human health. Consuming meat or other products from pigs does not present any food safety risks for humans. 2. ASF has devastating effects on pig populations and the farming economy, leading to significant economic losses. |
| Prevention | There is currently no cure or approved vaccine for ASF. The only effective method to prevent the spread of the infection is by culling the affected animals. |
UPSC Syllabus: Science and technology
