New cases of African swine fever in wild pigs in Silistra region

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency found new cases of African swine fever in wild pigs on the territory of the State Hunting Farm “Karacuz”, Silistra District. Testing of the samples taken on 6 March 2019 by the National Reference Laboratory in Sofia confirmed the presence of the virus in two animals, the food safety agency announced on 11^th of March.

These are the next cases of the disease in Bulgaria in 2019. They were confirmed in pigs found in a search in the region following an order of the Executive Director of the Food Safety Agency dated 25.02.2019.

"Karakuz" is close to the territory where the most recent dead wild pig with a positive sample for African swine fever was found. The case was identified on 25 February in the territory of the village of Kableshkovo on the territory of Tervel municipality.

For the purposes of control and eradication of the disease, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency applies all measures in accordance with the existing legislation. The Agency will conduct ongoing clinical examinations for African swine fever in domestic pigs and will take samples from all dead wild and domestic swines, and those showing clinical signs of the disease as part of the implementation of the programme for the prevention and control of the disease in Bulgaria.

Because of high mortality rates, rapid and wide spread in nature, and lack of treatment and vaccine, African swine fever in domestic and wild pigs is considered a very serious disease. Once emerging into the state, the disease masy cause large losses for national and international trade, farmers and hunting farms.

The Food Safety Agency reminds that pigs in “backyard” farms should be kept closed with enhanced biosecurity and should not have contact with wild pigs. Failure to comply with biosecurity rules during hunting, as well as low biosecurity for home-grown pigs, are key to transferring the disease from wild to domestic pigs.