How dangerous is African swine fever?

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

African swine fever has arrived in Germany. On Thursday, September 10, 2020, Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner confirmed the first case in Brandenburg near the Polish border. But what is African swine fever? How do you recognize an infected animal? Where is the disease spread? And can people get infected? Here you get more information.

What is African Swine Fever (Definition)?

African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease that can affect domestic pigs and wild boars. The trigger for the disease is a virus that is transmitted by the leather tick in the African countries of origin. This tick does not occur in Central Europe.

In this country, pigs can become infected through body fluids from sick animals or contaminated waste and equipment. Infected animals suffer from severe symptoms such as fever, gastrointestinal or breathing difficulties. The disease is incurable in pigs and is almost always fatal.

Can people get infected with African swine fever?

African swine fever is not a zoonosis. This means that the disease only causes complaints in its original host (pigs), but not in humans. "It is harmless to humans", emphasized Klöckner as well as the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health. Accordingly, the consumption of possibly contaminated meat is also harmless for humans. The viruses do not infect the human body.

Spread of the virus in Europe

Originally, the epidemic was limited to the African continent. Since 2007, however, African swine fever has been spreading from Georgia via Russia to Europe. Outbreak reports have been known from Hungary, Poland, Belgium, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Serbia since 2014. For decades there have also been isolated cases of African swine fever on the island of Sardinia.

The surge of swine fever in western Poland is of particular concern. The first cases of domestic pigs have now occurred in the region. In addition to Europe, the virus is also spreading in Asia. The Czech Republic reported the first cases of ASF in wild boars in the border region with Slovakia at the end of June 2017. This also increased the risk of the virus being introduced into Germany.

At the beginning of September 2020, the first infected wild boar was finally found in Germany. It died near the Polish border in the Spree-Neisse district of the African swine fever. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture on September 10th. The ministry assumes that the virus was registered in Germany a few weeks earlier.

African swine fever pathogen

The African swine fever pathogen is a so-called arbovirus from the Asfaviridae family. These are viruses that carry their genetic material as double-stranded DNA in a shell. Only members of the real pig family (Suidae) are susceptible to this pathogen. The African wild boar species (warthogs, bush pigs and giant forest pigs) are the natural hosts of the virus. The pathogen is resistant and contagious for months.

Difference to classic swine fever

Classical swine fever (KSP) is based on a different pathogen. A pestivirus from the Flaviviridae family causes the disease. In contrast to ASF, tick-borne transmission of classic swine fever is not known. The two forms of illness can hardly be distinguished from one another on the basis of the complaints caused.

How is the virus transmitted?

The main carriers of African swine fever are pigs, which excrete the virus in their urine and faeces before they noticeably show signs of ASF disease.

The virus is transmitted from animal to animal by contact and smear infection. Either through direct contact with the body fluids of infected animals (blood, urine, feces, semen) or indirectly through contaminated objects such as hunting equipment, vehicles, clothing, agricultural equipment or machines. Contact with infected animal secretions is the most common route of transmission.

Infection is also possible through virus-containing pork or pork products. In particular, improperly disposed of, contaminated food waste plays a role in the spread of the disease.

Other animals can transmit the virus

Experts also discuss contact with a dead, infected animal as a possible source of infection. For example, dogs can transmit African swine fever - for example, if they come into contact with infectious excretions or carcasses of affected wild boars while walking in the forest. But dogs don't get sick.

Rats, predators, and scavengers such as corvids that have had contact with infected wild boars can also spread ASF. Humans can also transmit the infection if, for example, they have had contact with infected pigs or infectious excretions and then do not clean themselves adequately and / or do not properly disinfect hands, shoes or clothing.

Risk factors

A particularly high risk of infection for pigs arises from the illegal feeding of contaminated food waste to domestic pigs, for example in the vicinity of landfills. The animals are also easily infected by waste of animal origin at camping sites or at accessible waste sites at rest areas or slaughterhouses.

What symptoms do infected animals show?

The first signs of disease appear three to 14 days after being infected with ASF (incubation period). Infected animals develop severe but rather unspecific symptoms. Nevertheless, it is important that people who have direct contact with the animals (farmers, hunters, veterinarians) can recognize and report the ASF infection.

Infected animals show the following symptoms in African swine fever:

• fever
• Disorientation
• Unwillingness to eat
• Movement disorders
• Breathing problems
• diarrhea
• Bleeding (nosebleeds, skin bleeding, blood in your stool)
• Lack of / less willingness to flee

When veterinarians remove the organs of a dead animal or hunters “break open” the hunted animal, the main features are enlarged, bloody lymph nodes, enlargement of the spleen and fine bleeding in organs, skin or subcutaneous tissue.

Course and consequences

African swine fever affects pigs of all ages and genders equally and in almost all cases leads to the death of the animal within about a week of the onset of the first ASF symptoms. There is no cure for the infection. There is no treatment or vaccination.

What to do if you suspect African swine fever

African swine fever is a notifiable disease. This means that abnormal, sick or deceased animals must be reported to the authorities. If, as a pet owner, hunter, forester or veterinarian, you suspect that you have found an affected animal, the diagnosis of African swine fever should be made quickly.This is done using a blood test (a dried blood stain may also be sufficient). The competent authority is the respective veterinary office in your region.

Even if you find a carcass as a private person, you should report it to the authorities. You can do this by telephone at the responsible veterinary office or the responsible hunter. Or you can report the find online.

After the first confirmed case in Brandenburg, the authorities have now set up a buffer zone around the site. Neither pigs nor their meat may then be transported out of this area.

If an infection occurs in a pig farm, the entire herd must be killed. A restricted zone would then also be set up around the company.

How can I protect myself?

In order to protect yourself or other animals from infection with African swine fever, hygiene measures are crucial. These include the following rules:

• Avoid contact with wildlife
• Do not touch sick or injured animals
• Do not bring any animal foods from the area where the virus is spread to Germany
• Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly
• Wash foods with water before consuming them

Dispose of garbage properly

In order to prevent the spread of swine fever, the correct handling of garbage is an important measure. The rule is: leftovers go into the organic waste bin, regardless of their processing status. This should always be properly closed. Open rubbish spots are taboo.

Animal and cooked food residues should never end up on the compost at home. Wild animals can easily get there and become infected from potentially contaminated food.

No leftover food in the toilet

Especially when barbecuing in the great outdoors or when hiking in the forest, it is important not to simply throw leftovers into the undergrowth there, but to take them with you and dispose of them safely.

In addition, you should never dispose of leftover food via toilets or sewage. The coarse waste can clog sewers and attract rats. If the disposed food is infected with ASF, the rodents can spread the disease and infect, for example, pigs on nearby farms or wild boars.

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