Epidemiology of economically

Important disease of livestock and poultry

ASF/BIRD FLU
GIAN CANLAS, DVM
VETERINARIAN IV
TARLAC CITY VETERINARY OFFICE
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL TRIAD
The Triangle has three corners
(called vertices):

• Agent, or microbe that causes the

disease (the “what” of the Triangle)

• Host, or organism harboring the

disease (the “who” of the Triangle)

• Environment, or those external

factors that cause or allow disease
transmission (the “where” of the
Triangle)
ICEBERG PHENOMENON
Viral Entry
Viral Entry
• oral-nasal route/bite of an infected soft tick
• the tonsils or regional lymph nodes replication
• spreading through the lymph and blood to secondary
organs of replication within 2–3 days
• then spreading to the rest of the organs, where virus can
replicate in a variety of cells
Pathogenesis of Lymphoid
Depletion
• Monocytes and macrophages are the main target
cell for ASFV
• Viral replication in the monocyte-macrophages
induces cytokine storm- responsible for massive
apoptosis of lymphocytes
• Massive destruction of the lymphoid organs and
tissues, including spleen, lymph nodes, thymus,
and tonsils
Pathogenesis of Vascular Changes
• Early Phase-
• phagocytic activation of capillary endothelial cells, followed
by endothelial cell hypertrophy
• lead to the total occlusion of the capillary lumen and a
severe increase in the intravascular pressure
• subsequent loss of endothelial cells results in the exposure of
the capillary basal membrane to which platelets can adhere
• prompt the activation of the coagulation system and induce
the D.I.C
• thombocytopenia
• Late Stage- Replication of ASFV on the endothelial cells
China Outbreak
88% of the total number of
PROVINCES AFFECTED
Mechanical Vectors

Tabanus- interfarms

Stomoxys- within farm

Houseflies- within farm

ASF Contagiosity and Mortality
 Restraining pigs with snare Blood Collection on anterior vena cava

Blood Collection on ext. Jugular vein

Collection of Oral Fluids
• The best and practical solution is depopulation after
final diagnosis of ASF, clean and disinfect premises
thoroughly, and repopulate
• Partial depopulation- tooth extraction method with
anecdotal success stories
felkinsmacabitas 32
felkinsmacabitas 33
felkinsmacabitas 34
 AVIAN INFLUENZA
• AI virus are negative-sense, single
stranded RNA virus in the family
Orthomyxoviridae, genus Influenza A.
Key Influenza Viral Features
• HA (15 subtypes) – Site of attachment to
host cells, antibody to HA is protective
• NA (9 subtypes) – Helps to release
virions from cells, andtibody to NA can
help modify disease severity
• Only Influenza A virus infects birds.

• Wild birds are the natural host for all subtypes of

influenza A virus.
• Typically wild birds do not get sick when they are
infected.
• Low Pathogenic AI (LPAI) – cause no to mild signs of
disease in chickens/poultry (such as ruffled feathers
and drop in egg production). Most AI virus are low
pathogenic but can mutate to HPAI.
• High Pathogenic AI (HPAI) – cause severe disease and
high mortality in infected chickens/poultry. HPAI
infection can cause disease that affect multiple organs
with mortality up to 100% in chickens, often within 48
hours. Only some AI A(H5) and A(H7) viruses are
classified as HPAI viruses.
H5N1
• The H5N1 strain is a new and extremely severe
influenza virus
• It has a unique capacity to jump the species barrier
and cause severe disease in humans
• The detection of few human cases, suggest that the
virus may not be easily transmitted from birds to
human at present
 The potential influenza pandemic
• H5N1 is a virus with pandemic potential, Might
ultimately adapt into a strain that is contagious
among humans, once it adapts – it will be a human
influenza virus
Geographic Distribution
• Worldwide distribution
• Reservoir
• Free flying aquatic birds, migratory birds, ducks and
geese
• Similarity to Newcastle Disease makes actual
distribution difficult to define
 Differentiating HPAI and NCD
• NCD – infects MACROPHAGES, necrosis of lymphoid
tissues
• HPAI – infects endothelial cells, EDEMA and
HEMORRHAGES
RISK FACTORS
Live Birds Market
RISK FACTORS
Itinerant and open grazing of ducks
RISK FACTORS
Migratory birds in season (wetlands)
RECENT UPDATES IN
TARLAC CITY
Around 700 kgs of pork
were confiscated and
condemned due to ASF
ASF cases in backyard farms
1km radius AI sero-surveillance

Blood collection and OP swab

sampling last Nov. 08,2023
Information Campaign
Continuous surveillance and monitoring at
slaughterhouse and dressing plant level

Ante-mortem Post-mortem Post-abbat

 Empowering Meat Inspection
Service
• Public Health Safety
• Regulatory and animal disease prevention and control

Backyard Dressing Facilities

 Working as LGU Veterinarian
• Animal Health
➢ Disease Investigation and
Surveillance
➢ Routine Veterinary Services

• Animal Production
➢ Farmer seminars and trainings
➢ Farm visits and technical
assistance
➢ Vet Missions

• Regulatory
➢ Policy making
➢ Meat Inspection
➢ Enforcement Activities
 Animal Treatment

Farm Visitations Artificial Insemination

Disease Surveillance
Environmental Swabbing

Pop’n control and Rabies Prevention Program

 Animal Dispersal

Meat Inspection
Farmer’s Trainings