We hear more and more frequently in Italy about African swine fever, hereinafter called (PSA), but what is it exactly? What is the situation in Italy? How is it contracted? Is it dangerous for humans?
In this article we will therefore answer the above questions to try to clarify what is a very important problem.
Definition of PSA.
PSA as reported by EFSA ( European Food Safety Authority) is a viral disease of pigs and wild boars that causes high mortality in animals affected by it. The virus responsible belongs to the Asfaviridae family, Asfivirus genus , this is a type of very stable virus that is not inactivated by putrefaction nor by refrigeration or freezing. It is able to resist for 18 months at a temperature of +4 degrees and 2 years at -70 degrees. These characteristics therefore make it capable of surviving for long periods in animal secretions, carcasses and some derived products. Like products that are not subjected to heat treatment, for example, salami which is subject to a short maturation, therefore not sufficient to eliminate the pathogen. The only safe method therefore, remains once again cooking, in fact the threat is eliminated by reaching temperatures above 70 degrees.
Italian situation
ASF has been present in Italy, more specifically in Sardinia, since 1978 in both farmed pigs and wild boars, but over the years the approach to fighting the disease has been revised several times, resulting in an improvement. The turning point in this story occurred in 2022 when the National Reference Center for the Study of Pestivirus and Asphivirus Diseases (CEREP) confirmed the first case of ASF in a wild boar carcass found in Piedmont, specifically in the province of Alessandria. In the following days, a further positive carcass was found in Liguria, and in May of the same year, a further infected carcass was found in Lazio. However, the contagion did not stop there and in the following months and years it involved other Italian regions. Until September 2023 when the first three cases of ASF emerged in a pig farm in the province of Pavia. From then on, the situation degenerated, arriving today where there are more than 18 outbreaks in Lombardy, and a total of 70,000 pigs slaughtered in northern Italy in an attempt to slow the spread.
How to contract it
Contraction can occur in different ways, in fact there are different factors that can lead to the contraction of this virus among these we find. First of all the contact between healthy/sick animals, a crucial role for the spread of the virus is played by wild boars, which infect pigs and in turn the latter infect each other. Another vector are insects, in fact they too, if in a slow and limited way can increase infections. On the contrary, a further carrier that significantly increases the epidemiological curve is the so-called "human factor". Where this term refers to the action of man who through means of transport, machinery and infected uniforms transports the pathogen from one factory to another.
It is dangerous for humans
So we come to the question we are all asking ourselves. Is this form of virus dangerous for humans? Answer NO , in fact there has been no spillover (species passage) to humans. This does not mean that this epidemic does not represent a problem. In fact, precisely because infected animals are slaughtered and therefore not intended for sale, the Italian pig sector is recording huge losses. This sector in Italy has a total value of 20 billion euros and employs around 100,000 people, but following this epidemic it is facing a collapse, estimated between 20 and 30 million euros per month. With a serious compromise to exports. Quoting what the assosuini association said: "the situation requires a collective commitment and not to unfairly and totally blame the breeders". in fact the reality of the facts is very different and sees as the main cause (as reported in the previous paragraph) wild boars that are under the responsibility of the state, this population is constantly growing this therefore greatly facilitates the spread from one area to another. In conclusion we can say that although this does not represent a problem for human safety it is on the contrary a huge problem for the economy of the country. And only thanks to targeted and timely interventions as well as with the cooperation between all the actors involved in this chain, it will be possible to contain the epidemic and limit the damage.
Author: Dr. Thomas Mancini
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