African Swine Fever threatens India’s Pygmy Hog, other Asian wild pig species
· African
Swine Fever (ASF), the livestock illness that has decimated porcine populations
across Asia since its advent in China in 2018, could deal a lethal blow to the pygmy hog, the world’s rarest and smallest
pig
· African
swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild
pigs, whose mortality rate can reach 100%.
· It is not a danger to human health, but it has devastating effects on pig populations and the farming economy. There is currently no effective vaccine against ASF.
· The
virus is highly resistant in the environment, meaning that it can survive on
clothes, boots, wheels, and other materials. It can also survive in various
pork products, such as ham, sausages or bacon. Therefore, human behaviours can
play an important role in spreading this pig disease across borders if adequate
measures are not taken.