African swine fever virus

Molecular epidemiology of African swine fever in East Africa

“…However, Neilan et al (2004) showed that neutralizing antibodies to these ASFV proteins are not sufficient for antibody-mediated protection. Previous studies have also indicated that even though there are some neutralizing antibody responses to ASFV infection, these tend to appear on days 10 -12 and 12 -14 post infection, a time when a pig would have already died from a virulent strain of ASFV (Wardley et al, 1987).…”

“…Cellular responses to infection have yielded controversial results which led scientist to believe that the virulence of a strain may be the determining factor in that regard, even though cytotoxic T-lymphocytes could be playing a significant role in the initial stages of infection (Wardley et al, 1987;Martins and Leitao, 1994). It is due to this poor understanding of the host -virus immune interaction that a vaccine against the disease is presently unavailable (Tulman and Rock, 2001).…”

“…The cost of ASF eradication in Malta and the Dominican Republic was a 100 % depopulation of their pigs, while 400 000 pigs in Cuba were lost before elimination of the disease (Plowright et al, 1994). The Iberian Peninsula spent approximately $100 (US) million/year to control both endemic ASF and new outbreaks (Wardley et al, 1987). In a model designed for the assessment of the economic impact an ASF outbreak would have in the U.S, Rendleman and Spinelli (1999) showed that such an incident would cost $4 500 billion both in trade embargoes and eradication.…”

“…Europe successfully eradicated the disease in 1990, with the exception of Sardinia, (there was also an outbreak in Portugal in 1999) the only ASF endemic place outside Africa (Wardley et al, 1987;Dixon et al, 1999).…”

“…Inapparent to subclinical infections have been recorded in this cycle (Haresnape, 1984;Costa, 1990;Plowright et al, 1994;Allaway et al, 1995;Eldelstein and Chinombo, 1995). Pigs infected with such virus can pass veterinary inspections and transmit ASFV if slaughtered and fed to their naïve counterparts (Wardley et al, 1987 France (1964France ( , 1967France ( , 1977, Madeira (1965, 1974, 1976), Italy (1967, Malta (1978), Sardinia (1978), Belgium (1985) and Holland (1986 (Wesley and Tuthill, 1984).…”