Keys to Swine Plague, a disease dreaded by farmers that reappears after 31 years

Spain has reported two wild boars testing positive for the African swine fever (ASF) virus in Catalonia, marking the reappearance of this disease—the most feared by the pork sector—after three decades free of this pathogen in the country. Veterinary authorities have confirmed these positives following the discovery of two dead wild boars on November 26. These are some questions and answers to understand a disease of great impact on the pork sector but not transmissible to humans. QUESTION: What is African Swine Fever? ANSWER: It is a hemorrhagic viral disease, highly contagious, that affects domestic pigs and wild boars, and does not transmit to humans. Q: How did it first arrive on the peninsula? A: It arrived by plane, from Africa to Lisbon, in 1957; ASF began to spread among pigs in the vicinity of Lisbon airport, which became infected by ingesting remnants of infected food that had been consumed on flights from Africa. From there it began to spread across Europe. Q: What are ...