A new Government-funded African swine fever (ASF) surveillance initiative is due to get underway in late-August.
This additional component of surveillance for the devastating pig virus involves testing pigs submitted by private veterinary practices to the scanning surveillance network, made up of the Animal and Plant Health Agency and its surveillance pathology partners, for post-mortem examination.
Porcine animals from England and Wales, whether commercial pigs, pets or farmed wild boar, submitted for diagnostic post-mortem examination will be eligible for the surveillance where ‘found dead’ is a clinical sign mentioned in the history.
The testing which will be done by PCR at the Pirbright Institute, the UK’s National Reference Laboratory for ASF.
APHA said this will augment other surveillance and assist early detection of ASF incursion where clinical signs and mortality have not raised suspicion of ASF. It stressed that the surveillance initiative does not replace reporting of suspect swine fever cases.
Pig producers are reminded that, if the clinical signs and/or pathology in dead pigs raise suspicion of ASF on-farm, they or the attending vet must report this to APHA for official investigation and pigs should not be submitted for postmortem examination.
Suspected swine fever must be reported to:
- In England, Defra Rural Services Helpline 03000 200 301.
- In Wales, contact 0300 303 8268.
- In Scotland, your local Field Services Office.