According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that spreads among domestic and wild pigs and boars.
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This disease is not known to be dangerous to human health but it can lead to a decline in the population pigs and boars and affect the farming economy.
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The disease has a high mortality rate and has spread from sub-Saharan Africa to other regions of the world, including Asia and Europe.
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Confirmed cases of African swine fever have been reported from different parts of India including Kerala, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tamil Nadu.
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Recently, Manipur Progressive Pig Farmers Association (MPPFA) said that the state lost 90 per cent of the pig population in the pig farms that have been affected by the disease.
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The viral disease was detected in pigs of Central Agricultural University Iroisemba in Manipur’s Imphal West district in October 2023. Earlier, it was also detected in Manipur's Kamjong district in June 2022.
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African swine fever virus is an enveloped and double-stranded DNA virus. The primary route of the infection is through the oronasal contact with infected food waste that affects the respiratory tract of pigs and boars.
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This virus is resistant to environment and it can survive on clothes, boots, wheels and other materials. It remains in pork products like ham, sausages and bacon.
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Attempts to develop a vaccine for the disease are ongoing. So far, the strategies to eradicate the infection involve the slaughter of infected pigs, safe disposal of their carcasses and spraying pigs and boars with acaricides to kill mites and ticks carrying the virus.
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In India, Manipur authorities and MAPPFA have asked farmers not to throw pigs carcasses into the water bodies, rivers and channels to avoid further spread of the disease.