E.

FAMILY ASFAVIRIDAE
- Formerly classified in family Iridoviridae
- Genus: African Swine Fever Virus (characteristics of Poxvirus)

● Properties of the African Swine Fever Virus

- with large lipoprotein-envelope; yet more stable than most enveloped viruses
- icosahedral, double stranded DNA virus
- about 200 nm; 175-225 nm in diameter
- chemical inactivation

ACTIVE INGREDIENT CONCENTRATION CONTACT TIME

Non-ionic detergent:
As appropriate 10 minutes
(solids or liquids)

Oxidizing agents:
20,000-30,000
Sodium Hypochlorite 10-30 minutes
ppm (2-3%)
Calcium Hypochlorite

Alkalis:
2% (w/v) 10 minutes
Sodium Hydroxide

Acids:
2% (v/v) 10 minutes
Hydrochloric acids
0.2% (w/v) 30 minutes
Citric acid

Aldehydes:
2% (w/v) 10-30 minutes
Glutaraldehyde

- Physical Inactivation:
- Inactivated in liquid media at: 60°C for 30 minutes
121°C for 15 minutes (autoclaving)
- The virus is very resistant to putrefaction, heat and dryness and
survives in chilled carcasses for up to 6 months
- The virus will survive for 15 weeks in putrefied blood, 3 hours at 50°C, 70
days in blood on wooden boards, 11 days on feces held at room
temperature, 18 months in pig blood held at 4°C and 150 days in boned
meat held at 39°F
- ASF virus is stable between pH 4 and 10 - In serum, virus can resist pH 13.4
for 7 days
DISEASE CAUSED BY AFRICAN SWINE FEVER VIRUS

African Swine Fever

- An economically significant disease of domestic pigs and listed among the
highly contagious diseases of suidae

- The latest outbreaks were reported in Burkina Faso, Congo, Nigeria, Senegal
and Tanzania between July 2003 and September 2004 (pls update)

- Synonyms: East African Swine Fever

Montgomery’s Disease
Wart Hog Disease

● Clinical signs:
- Peracute form: found dead - without clinical signs; may be moribund- high fever
- Acute form: highly virulent form
fever of 40.5 – 42oC
clinical signs 1-2 days after onset of fever
reddening of skin - tips of ears, tail, distal extremities, ventral
chest and thorax - turns to cyanosis
increased pulse, respiration; vomiting, diarrhea
survivors are “carriers” for life
mortality in domestic swine - approach 100%
- Subacute form: moderately virulent
symptoms less intense - duration 5 - 30 days
fever fluctuates up to 20 days
abortions
mortality varies 30 - 70%
- Chronic form: weight loss, necrosis of skin, chronic skin ulcers
irregular fever spikes
develops over 2 - 15 months
stunted growth, emaciated
pneumonia, lameness
low death loss
- The acute and subacute forms are similar to other swine hemorrhagic diseases like
Classical Swine Fever, Salmonellosis or Erysipelas. For the final diagnosis,
laboratory tests are required.

● Epizootiology and Pathogenesis

- IP: varies from 48-72 hours after contact exposure
- Primarily transmitted from the reservoir in wild pigs to the
domestic pigs via argasid tick Ornithodoros moubata
- Infection occurs via oral and nasal routes.
- Spreads rapidly by direct contact and by contact with contaminated clothing,
feed, vehicles and equipment.
- Reservoirs: domestic pigs wart hogs bush pigs
forest hogs ticks Ornithodoros moubata

54
 - Signs vary with the form of the disease.
- Necropsy/histopathological findings:
▪ Highly virulent form of ASF virus may have poorly developed lesions
▪ There may be very enlarged and hemorrhagic gastro-hepatic and
renal lymph nodes, subcapsular petecchiation of the kidneys,
ecchymoses of the cardiac surfaces and various serosa, and
pulmonary edema with hydrothorax.
▪ The gallbladder is edematous and hemorrhagic and severe
submucosal congestion in the colon is usually seen when pigs
are infected with ASF
▪ The spleen is greatly enlarged, dark red and friable
- Histologically, the virus causes destruction of the mononuclear phagocytes
system and then infects megakaryocytes, tonsillar crypt cells,
renal cells, hepatocytes and endothelial cells
● Diagnosis
- Specimens/samples: whole blood
Serum
Fixed and fresh tissues
- All samples should be transported at 4°C

- Methods: cell culture virus isolation

ELISA fluorescence antibody technique (FAT
PCR immunoblotting assay
electron microscopy animal inoculation
- Differential Diagnosis: Hog cholera (classical swine fever)
Aujeszky`s disease
Erysipelas Acute salmonellosis
Viral encephalomyelitis Pasteurellosis - pneumonia
Warfarin poisoning Heavy metal poisoning
- Drug susceptibility: none

● Prevention and Control

All cultures and infected material should be stored in leakproof, sealed
containers that are accurately labeled and clearly identified as a biohazard risk.
The access to infectious material should be controlled at all times. Records must
be kept to describe the use, inventory and disposal of infectious material.
Decontaminate all infectious material prior to disposal. Use steam
sterilization, incineration or chemical disinfection.

● Disease In Humans
None

55