Barcelona confirms cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) informs that the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has been notified about the occurrence of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia region, in Spain, registered on November 26. This is the first episode of the disease in the country since 1994. As of December 2, nine cases have been confirmed, all restricted to wild boars, with no detection in domestic pigs. ASF is a viral disease that affects domestic pigs, wild pigs, and wild boars. Although it does not pose a risk to human health, as it is not a zoonosis, it is mandatory to report due to its high dissemination power and potential impact on production systems. The presence of ticks of the genus Ornithodoros, which can act as vectors, increases the complexity of controlling the disease in wild environments. The virus presents high resistance in the environment, being able to remain active for long periods on clothing, footwear, ...