The World Organization for Animal Health reported Aug. 23 that China confirmed its fourth case of African swine fever (ASF) in a new province at a great distance farther south than the previous three cases.

In a monitoring report, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) said the new case was found in Zhejiang province, 500 miles farther along the Pacific seaboard from the last reported case in Jiangsu province. SHIC said China had put in place standard procedures of establishing perimeters, culling and restricting movement.

According to SHIC, it is unclear how this disease is moving through China. It is appearing in a range of farms across swine-dense areas. Trade in pigs, semen and pork products are all possibilities. The ASF virus is hardy and has been shown to remain infectious for at least 30 days in uninhabited pig pens, more than four months in pork products that include salted dried hams and indefinitely in frozen pig carcasses, SHIC said. The hardiness of this virus, along with the fact that it is found throughout the pig as well as its feces and saliva, means these leaps of the disease across large distances are possible.

As the number of pigs affected by ASF increases not only in China but also in Eastern Europe, SHIC said the risk of introduction into North America also increases. Farm-level biosecurity not only protects individual farms but also the national herd. This illustrates the need for regular reviews with herd veterinarians of biosecurity plans and their compliance.

Prior to the fourth outbreak, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service issued a "Global Agricultural Information Network" (GAIN) report on China's ASF situation. The GAIN report contains information on China's response plan as well as background information on pork production in the country.

Coincidentally, Jürgen Richt, Regents distinguished professor and director of the Kansas State University Center of Excellence for Emerging & Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD) and an internationally recognized expert on transboundary animal diseases, was in Asia to deliver a series of presentations when the first ASF outbreak was reported in China on Aug. 1.

ASF is a highly contagious disease of domestic pigs and wild boar. The disease causes high fever, respiratory problems, weakness and stillbirths. The economic consequences for the pork production industry are grim: Mortality rates among affected animals approach 100%.

"Efforts to handle a potential outbreak have not succeeded, so we have to be concerned about the disease spreading across national boundaries," Richt said. "The first outbreak occurred only a little more than 120 miles north of North Korea."

Richt spoke with veterinary medicine faculty and students at Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea, and with members of South Korean media and swine associations. He said South Korea is not well prepared to handle the outbreak and that the country is working to improve its emergency procedures. Containing the disease is particularly difficult because it tends to spread via wild boars.

Richt also discussed the challenges facing those trying to develop vaccines for ASF. CEEZAD is actively involved in the effort to produce mitigation strategies to control ASF and to develop vaccines.

Young Lyoo, dean of the Konkuk University College of Veterinary Medicine, said Richt's information will help provide a front line of defense to save a major industry and protect a valuable protein source.

"Dr. Richt provided not only expert knowledge and opinion on the disease and a control but also disseminated awareness to the public, government and industry through media exposure," Lyoo said. "His visit showed how important international cooperation is to fight against contagious transboundary disease."

Richt said the disease presents trade problems for China and other Asian countries. China produces nearly half the world's pork.

"African swine fever is a threat to world trade in the pork industry, which will ultimately affect Western Europe, the U.S. and other trade partners," he said.

U.S. response plans

In the U.S., the main pork industry organizations — American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV), National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council and SHIC — have developed a list of actions that could help prevent and then, if needed, respond to an ASF incursion. These actions have been shared with USDA, and collaborative work and further discussion about them is ongoing, the groups said in a posting on the AASV website.

The industry organizations and USDA agree that prevention could be enhanced by the Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and Plant Protection & Quarantine agencies, ensuring flights from China and Russia get enhanced attention during passenger and cargo inspection. USDA has made a request to that effect to CBP. Sampling and monitoring of imported products that might pose a risk of ASF transmission is also being considered, the groups said.

Collaboration can help to address concerns about potential risk associated with feed and feed component imports, the groups said, pointing to research conducted by Dr. Scott Dee et al. that certain feedstuffs are able to support ASF during a simulated trans-Pacific shipment. A validated method to test bulk feed products and applying it to monitoring shipments for pathogen contamination has been funded by SHIC and is currently being researched. Also, currently being researched with results expected soon are feed pathogen mitigation options.

The USDA Center for Epidemiology & Animal Health's Risk Identification Unit (RIU) is monitoring diseases around the world, including China. Increased, regular communication through contact or reports is another action that could enhance prevention through raising awareness. This provides a vehicle for two-way communication to provide information from industry sources to RIU and for RIU to provide the most up-to-date information it has back to industry, the pork groups said.

According to the pork groups, response initiatives include a survey of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) for its surge capacity should the industry need ASF testing to identify issues or shortcomings. USDA is already conducting the survey.

A project to validate a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for ASF — as well as two other foreign animal diseases: foot and mouth disease (FMD) and classical swine fever (CSF) — on oral fluids has been underway for more than a year, the groups said. Diagnostic capabilities need to be updated, the groups noted, and response capability needs to be able to be applied at the herd level.

ASF-specific emergency response exercises are being planned, including allied industry, NAHLN and state and federal animal health officials participation, the pork industry groups reported, and response and communication coordination with Canada and Mexico are additional items being discussed and have already been initiated by USDA.

The groups provided a list of foreign animal disease resources from the pork checkoff and other industry partners, including:

* What to do If You Suspect a Foreign Animal Disease;

* SHIC Global Disease Monitoring Reports;

* Foreign Animal Disease Resources;

* FAD Preparation Checklist for Producers;

* Hosting International Visitors on Your Farm;

* Traveling Overseas Biosecurity Fact Sheet;

* USDA Disease Response Strategy: African Swine Fever;

* African Swine Fever Fact Sheet;

* U.S. Pork Industry Guide to the Secure Pork Supply Plan;

* Secure Pork Supply Website;

* FAD Resource Packet with Posters.