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Dangerous swine fever on the rise
The epidemic is rampant in the Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic, swine fever has been rampant in wild boar since June. Now it is only 300 km away from Vogtland in Saxony and moves closer to the 220 companies that keep domestic pigs there.
The African swine fever has spread 400 km to the west since June 2017 and is approaching Saxony.(Prochym / fotolia)
Where does swine spread??
On 27.06.2017, the outbreak of African swine fever in the Czech Republic was registered at the International Office of Epizootics (OIE). The Czech authorities reported two wild boars found dead in the city of Zlin. Since then, the epidemic spread 400 km to the west.
Why is the swine fever breaking out??
The cause of the outbreak is unknown.
Contagion from humans
Swine fever is extremely contagious and often fatal among pigs, and it is easily spread from humans to domestic swine when people first came into contact with infected wild boar.
High risk
The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut rates the risk of the disease spreading to Germany as high: "In non-cooked pork products (such as domestic or wild boar salami / ham), the ASP virus remains stable for a long time. By feeding or improperly disposing of appropriate products, such as discarding residues at rest areas, wild boars can become infected with the pathogen. "
Towing by persons and vehicles
A particular risk is the introduction of the pathogen via persons and vehicles into German wild boar populations.
Infected mud is enough
It is enough to go with boots in a pigsty, to the mud sticks, in which the pathogen sits to infect domestic pigs. To infect the disease, one only has to walk through a forest where infected wild boars live.
state of emergency
The Czech authorities are in alarm mode. Their strategy: kill as many wild boars as possible so that the disease does not spread further. Whether this brings success can not be foreseen.
People spread the plague
Veterinarians warn: Anyone throwing slaughterhouse waste into the environment, or even sausage sandwiches, could spread the disease - if these animal products are contaminated.
Danger by hunters
Theoretically, German hunters can spread the disease if they hunt in the Czech Republic and so bring the pathogen in the car across the border. However, this danger is very low.
Investigations in Germany
In the Vogtland carcasses of wild boar are now being examined for swine fever. However, none of the animals that were autopsied in 2017 bore the pathogen.
all-clear?
However, this is not an all-clear. Although Germany is still free from swine fever, the epidemic is already well advanced. Should it come even closer, epidemic control measures must be introduced.
No new disease
African swine fever is not unknown in Europe. Already in 2014, she crossed the borders of the EU.
What are protective measures
In this case, protection against disease would mean that the authorities set restricted areas in which passenger and road traffic is restricted, that the blood of swine in the holdings is examined, and that more stringent checks are carried out by veterinarians.
What does an outbreak mean??
If only one animal is affected in a farm, the veterinary office orders the killing of the entire stock. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)