African Swine Fever

Background Information

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a contagious viral disease of wild and domestic pigs. ASF kills almost 100 percent of the animals it infects, and despite being in circulation for nearly 100 years, there is still no vaccine. Due to serious impact of ASF to swine health and international trade, an outbreak anywhere in Canada would be considered an economic and animal welfare emergency. With a vast swine export sector to the US, Japan and China accounting for up to seventy percent of local production, Manitoba will be one of the most financially impacted provinces in Canada if an outbreak occurred.

How effectively Manitoba and the rest of Canada manages an ASF outbreak will impact how quickly we can demonstrate control of the disease and allow exports to resume. In Manitoba, it is estimated that a three-month closure would be devastating in lost farm and processing revenue. A prolonged 12-month closure would most likely result in a swine industry not recovering until 3 years after the start of the outbreak.

Disease Overview | Why is ASF a concern for the Canadian pig industry? |

Clinical Signs | Treatment | Transmission | Prevent the introduction and spread of ASF |

Has ASF ever been detected in Canada? | Where is ASF found? |

ASF in Wild Pigs| What to do if you suspect ASF? |

What is industry and government doing to prepare for ASF? |

Important Links | Contact

Disease Overview

ASF is a viral disease that only impacts pigs. It is not transmitted to humans and does not pose a food safety risk. It causes severe illness or death in both domestic and wild pigs of all age groups. As it spreads around the globe, it poses a significant risk to the health of the Canadian swine herd, the pork industry and the Canadian economy.

Why is ASF a concern for the Canadian pig industry?

The introduction of ASF would have devastating impacts on the Canadian pork industry since the presence of a single ASF-infected pig would result in the swift culling of the whole herd and an immediate standstill to all pig and pork exports. Manitoba’s hog sector is responsible for 22,000 jobs across the province, as well as $2.3 billion to the provincial GDP each year, which would be immediately put at risk should ASF be detected.

Clinical Signs

After exposure to the virus, symptoms in pigs can appear anywhere from three to 15 days. If a pig survives the infection, they can shed the virus for up to six months.

Symptoms of African Swine Fever can include:

High fever
Weakness and difficulty standing
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Red or blue blotches on the skin (particularly around ears and snout)
Coughing or laboured breathing, and
Higher than usual mortality rate

Treatment

There is no treatment or vaccine for ASF and mortality rates can approach 100 percent of infected pigs.

Transmission

ASF and other foreign animal diseases (FAD) can be transmitted directly by contact of infected pigs with healthy pigs. Indirectly by contact with the virus from excretions, secretions, and infected tissues including the ingestion of contaminate meat products, contaminated swill or kitchen waste, contaminated fomites such as feed, vehicles and footwear.

Prevent the introduction and spread of ASF

Humans can unknowingly spread ASF and infect pigs in many ways. If they have been in a contaminated area, virus can be carried on clothes, footwear, and vehicles. The disease can be spread through feed used for pigs, if it has been imported from countries where ASF is present and not processed accordingly or if contaminated kitchen scraps are fed to pigs.

Never provide food waste to farmers raising animals. Never bring any pork or pork products onto farm premises. When you travel, never bring back meat or pork products to Canada. Wash all clothing and footwear immediately after use in other countries. Even better, if you visit a farm or animals, don’t bring your clothing back to Canada.

Has ASF ever been detected in Canada?

Thanks to Canada’s prevention efforts, ASF has never been detected in Canadian pigs. The government maintains ongoing surveillance of domestic and wild pigs to detect and contain ASF if it does occur. Canadian farms and processing facilities have very strict biosecurity and sanitizing processes to prevent and detect ASF and other animal diseases in pig barns or processing facilities.

Where is ASF found?

The disease is endemic in Africa and rapidly spreading in European and Asian countries. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) monitors current ASF outbreaks. The disease has never been detected in Canada.

ASF in Wild Pigs

Invasive wild pigs are considered an issue in Canada because they can cause significant ecological and economic damage. Wild pigs can carry and spread ASF. More information about wild pigs and what do if you see one can be found at https://canadainvasives.ca/