African swine fever is a growing concern

New cases of ASF continue to be reported throughout Europe and further afield, though thankfully the UK continues to be free of the disease. In the last 12 months, cases in domestic pigs in Europe have been reported in Bulgaria, Germany, Latvia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and the Ukraine. Cases in wild boar have been reported in Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, the Ukraine and, most recently and most concerningly, mainland Italy.

While ASF has been found on the island of Sardinia since the late 1970s, it has not been found in mainland Italy since 1993. The case was found in Piedmont, in the north-west, and is nearly 800 km away from the nearest confirmed case in domestic pigs in Germany and nearly 1000 km from the nearest case in wild boar in Hungary and Slovakia. This represents an enormous geographical jump, with human-mediated spread considered the most likely source.

This large leap highlights the need for ongoing vigilance in the UK. While we are an island and are lucky enough to have a natural physical border to help us keep ASF (and other diseases) out, human-mediated spread still represents the greatest risk to us. As travel regulations and restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic begin to relax, the number of travellers returning from abroad is likely to increase, and illegally imported or inappropriately disposed of pork and pork products are the most likely entry route for ASF into the UK.

Some countries in Asia have banned the import of pork and pork products from Italy altogether, but in the UK similar bans apply only to ASF-affected regions. Travellers are also not permitted to bring pork or pork products back from affected areas, and any products brought back from ASF-affected countries must be disposed of in a way that prevents pigs and wild boar being able to eat it.

Farm biosecurity is of paramount importance – it remains illegal to feed pork products and any food waste to pigs, and if pigs are housed indoors or outdoors near public rights of way, signs warning the public not to dispose of or feed food waste to the pigs are vital. 

Globally, research into ASF vaccines continues, with a vaccine trial in the USA showing early promise against both the European and Asian strains of ASF. Closer to home, many consider that the lack of Border Control Posts in the UK leaves us vulnerable to ASF entry. Full checks on imports into Great Britain from the EU have yet to be introduced (except for the most high-risk products). The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee will be looking into border controls on food imports in March. The Wild Boar Working Group, which is funded by AHDB, will also be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the progress of the wild boar control programme in the Forest of Dean and the developing ASF situation in Italy.

Currently there is a medium risk of ASF introduction to the UK, we need all pig producers, farmers and the public to pull together to keep this disease out.

We continue to refine our resources, all of which (including signs advising the public not to feed the pigs) can be accessed here.

To contact one of the team email: pig.health@ahdb.org.uk, we welcome your feedback and suggestions for new information or resources you think are needed.