African Swine Fever

African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal hemorrhagic illness with a near-total fatality rate. The condition symptoms include high temperature, lack of appetite, ataxia, and sadness. 135 The agent of causation The African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a DNA virus with two strands that belongs to the Asfaviridae family. ASF is a disease that must be reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), and it is frequently accompanied by regional, national, and international trade restrictions that have the potential to harm the global pig meat market. Except for African wild pigs, all ages of pigs are vulnerable to severe strains of African swine flu.

African swine fever

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most serious pig illnesses. The etiological agent is the African swine fever virus (ASFV), the solitary member of the Asfarviridae family. African swine flu is a huge enclosed DNA virus with a genomic size of around 190 kb. So far, African swine flu is the only DNA infectious agent described. ASFV has icosahedral symmetry and a diameter of around 200 nm. African swine flu has two unique lipid membranes: one external, taken from the cell membranes in splitting, and one internal, which covers the internal structure of the particle and is likely produced from the infected cell’s endoplasmic reticulum.

Peste Porcine Africaine, Pestis Africana Suum, Peste Porcina Africana, warthog sickness, Maladie de Montgomery, Afrikaanse Varkpes, and Afrikanische Schweinepest are all synonyms for African swine fever (ASF).

Virus Infection and Apoptosis

A179L (5-HL gene), which would be a viral homolog of BCL-2, is encoded by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). It has all similar domains to BCL-2 and the retained BH1 domain, which, like BCL-2, is essential to suppress apoptosis. As a result, A179L is most likely powered by a similar process. The IAP proteins have a homolog in the African swine flu A22L gene. It appears late in the virus’s life cycle. African swine flu strains that are very virulent have been found to trigger apoptosis.

 AFRICAN SWINE FEVER VIRUS (ASFARVIRIDAE)

Montgomery defined African swine fever (ASF) in 1921 as a viral-caused peracute illness of domestic pigs. The illness was first identified in Kenya following the introduction of domestic pigs in 1910. Montgomery determined that African swine fever was most likely transmitted by wild swine and found that passive vaccination provided little protection.

 The illness first surfaced outside of Africa in 1957 in Portugal and expanded to Spain in 1960. The virus was discovered in France, Italy, Sardinia, and Malta in the 1960s and 1970s, and in America in Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. An ASF epidemic occurred in Belgium in 1985 and in the Netherlands in 1986. African swine fever is now endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa and Sardinia.

African swine fever is a fatal viral illness that affects both domestic and wild pigs of all ages. ASF poses no risk to human health, and it can be passed from pigs to people. It is not a matter of food safety. African swine flu may be found in nations all over the world.

African swine flu in Assam

According to the Assembly, about 39,000 pigs have died from African swine flu in Assam in the previous year and a half. In a written response to a question from BJP MLA Chakradhar Gogoi, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Bora stated that 38,700 pigs had perished due to African swine fever since its discovery in the north-eastern state in 2020.

According to the ministry, the pig fatalities have impacted the finances of up to 13,200 people. However, because the subject is under the authority of the Centre, the government has not provided any compensation to the affected families, according to Bora.

There is a provision in the central guidelines for awarding compensation based on the culling of ASF-affected pigs. “However, the Assam government is still looking into the situation and has proposed a program to pay pig farmers in 2021-22,” the minister told the House.

The illness first arose outside of Africa, in Portugal, in 1957 and spread to Spain in 1960. In the 1960s and 1970s, the virus was discovered in France, Italy, Sardinia, Malta, and America in Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. An African swine fever epidemic occurred in Belgium in 1985 and in the Netherlands in 1986. African swine flu is now frequently utilised in Sub-Saharan Africa and Sardinia.

Conclusion

African swine flu virus (ASFV) was originally identified as a disease in domestic pigs of European ancestry in Kenya in 1909. African swine fever is suspected of having existed for many years as an unnoticed infection in warthogs, bush pigs, and giant forest hogs in Africa’s endemic areas. It was thought to be only found in Africa for a long time until it was discovered in Portugal in 1957. In 1958, the first intrusion on the European continent was exterminated. Outbreaks in France near the Spanish border in 1964, 1967, and 1974 were similarly eliminated by killing diseased and exposed animals.