This not only threatens food security and challenges the livelihoods of pig producers and other actors along the supply chain, but can also have major repercussions on international trade.
With an extremely high potential for transboundary spread, the disease is today considered endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, Sardinia (Italy), and parts of the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. There exists a permanent risk of further spread of ASF from these areas due to the transboundary movements of individuals, pork products, fomites, and infected wild boar. Any country with a pig sector is at risk. The backyard sector, characterized by low biosecurity, is particularly vulnerable.
In the absence of any effective vaccine or treatment, the best strategy against ASF is to set up an early detection strategy, coupled with an early response mechanism for outbreaks. In that context, the awareness and training of veterinary professionals and others in the front line will be crucial. The purpose of this manual is to provide veterinary professionals, para-professionals, and laboratory diagnosticians with the information they need to promptly diagnose and react to an outbreak or case of ASF. Pig farmers, hunters and forest managers will also benefit from reading it.