Can African swine fever be transmitted to humans?

Can African swine fever be transmitted to humans?

ASF can be spread through ticks, live or dead pigs and pork products, contaminated feed and by humans. In fact, humans can carry the virus on their shoes or clothing, which means traveling from a country that has African swine fever to one that does not could lead to new outbreaks without proper biosecurity practices.

What virus causes African swine fever?

What is African swine fever? African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious haemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, which is responsible for serious economic and production losses. It is caused by a large DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family, which also infects ticks of the genus Ornithodoros.

How does ASF virus spread?

African Swine Fever can be spread through: direct contact with infected pigs, faeces or body fluids. indirect contact via fomites such as equipment, vehicles or people who work with pigs between pig farms with ineffective biosecurity. pigs eating infected pig meat or meat products.

Is there a cure for African swine flu?

Why is African Swine Fever a Concern? ASF is a devastating, deadly disease that would have a significant impact on U.S. livestock producers, their communities and the economy if it were found here. There is no treatment or vaccine available for this disease.

Can humans get ASF?

ASF is not a threat to human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans. ASF is spread by contact with infected animals’ body fluids. It can be spread by ticks that feed on infected animals. People are also a source of spread; as they can move the virus on vehicles or clothing.

What is the symptoms of ASF?

Vigilance is also crucial to disease prevention and USDA wants all veterinarians and producers to recognize the signs and symptoms of ASF:

• High fever.
• Decreased appetite and weakness.
• Red/blotchy skin lesions.
• Diarrhea, vomiting.
• Coughing.
• Difficulty breathing.

What happens when you eat pork with ASF?

Pigs infected with the ASF virus experience high fever, depression, loss of appetite, redness of ears, abdomen, and legs, vomiting, and diarrhea that may lead to death.

Which country eats the most pig?

Currently China is the world’s largest pork consumer, with pork consumption expected to total 53 million metric tons in 2012, which accounts for more than half of global pork consumption.

How many pigs are killed each year in China?

Number of slaughtered pigs for meat

What happens if you eat pork infected with swine flu?

You cannot get swine flu from eating pork. Although swine flu viruses cause outbreaks in pigs, few cases are caused by contact with live pigs, and none are caused from eating pork or pork products.