Group created to prevent African Swine Fever from reaching Guyana

Oct 21, 2019 News

A Standing Group of Experts on African Swine Fever (SGE-ASF) has been created to maintain the status of Guyana being free from the African Swine Fever (ASF). This comes as a result of the spread of ASF in Europe, and more recently in Asia.
The ASF virus is a large, double-stranded DNA virus in the Asfarviridae family. The virus causes a haemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates in domestic pigs; some isolates can cause death of animals as quickly as a week after infection.
Given the gravity of the situation, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has launched a global initiative for the control of ASF.
The objective is to control the disease, strengthen countries’ prevention and preparation efforts, and minimise the adverse effects on animal health, animal welfare and international trade.
It was noted that a lack of precautions by professionals, hunters, travelers, farmers, or anyone unaware of its transmission pathways could result in the emergence of ASF.
The SGE-ASF is focused on preventing the introduction in the region, and, if ever it happens, being prepared to contain its spread and devastating consequences are of the utmost importance.
Moreover, developing measures specific and adaptable to the region is essential to prevent the entry of the disease thanks to the definition of priority actions oriented to local needs and complementary of the global initiative.
Internationally recognised ASF or swine disease experts with experience working in Europe or Asia will be included in the group on an ad hoc basis on agreement of the SGE-ASF.
Some of the economical impacts of ASF based on poultry farming are high morbidity and mortality in animals, import and export bans and movement restrictions while some of the environmental impacts are contamination with products, ingestion of contaminated pork products by feeding pigs swill, waste, garbage and carcasses.
The virus can be transmitted through fomites, clothing, vehicles, equipment, blood, diarrhoea, faeces vectors; bites from soft ticks, insects, mosquitoes and biting flies.
To prevent the virus, persons can decrease contact with feral or wild hogs, keep newly acquired pigs separate from the herd for at least 30 days to assure health, do not feed uncooked pork products to pigs, swill, garbage and waste.
Persons can also disinfect vehicles, equipment, footwear, clothing and use appropriate disposal of manure and carcasses. Furthermore, avoid hunting wild hogs prior to contact with domestic pigs.

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