Protecting health against swine fever

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor of CK II Nguyen Thi Thu Ha - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

African swine fever is a hot issue today, although bewildered by the disease situation, many people still do not know if the African swine fever epidemic has ended. In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that from the beginning of February 2019, ASF has occurred in more than 8,300 communes in 660 districts of 63 provinces and cities with over 5 7 million pigs were infected and culled with a total weight of 327,000 tons. By October, the number of pigs forcibly culled had decreased by 36% compared to September and by 66% compared to May which was the peak month.

African swine fever is caused by a virus that infects pigs and causes hemorrhagic fever. The disease can be transmitted directly or through an intermediary such as ticks, flies, mice..

Pigs infected with African swine fever include 2 types:
Acute swine fever: Infected pigs may have a high fever of 40.5 - 42 degrees Celsius, then pigs gradually lose their appetite, are lazy to exercise, incubate. droopy, lying in the shade or near water. The pig is white, its limbs can turn blue-violet with hemorrhages on the ears, tail and chest, abdomen. Before dying, they will have neurological symptoms, unsteady movement, abnormal breathing, difficulty breathing, sometimes bloody diarrhea or maybe constipation,... Pigs usually die within 6-13 days or even 20 days from virus infection. Subacute form: Pigs have low fever, moody mood, increase and decrease, cough and difficulty breathing, lack of appetite, weight loss, difficulty walking, pregnant sows will miscarry. Pigs infected with subacute cholera usually die within 15 - 45 days, the mortality rate is about 30 - 70%. Pigs that can recover from illness or become chronically ill will be a lifelong host of the ASF virus.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), African swine fever is a dangerous infectious disease caused by the virus that causes swine fever, a disease with fast-spreading characteristics, occurring in all ages and all populations. type of pig, high mortality rate, up to 100%.
Unlike swine flu, ASF does not pose a direct threat to human health, meaning ASF does not spread directly to humans. However, cholera can be transmitted to flies, mosquitoes, rats, cats, chickens, and ducks.
Although it does not spread directly to humans, it is an agent that causes disease transmission. Because swine fever can cause other dangerous diseases such as blue ear, influenza, typhoid, swine streptococcus... When infected with streptococcal bacteria, patients are at high risk of gastrointestinal toxicity, infection. septicemia, encephalitis, meningitis, multi-organ failure. Therefore, people need to take measures to protect the health of themselves and their families against African swine fever.

There is no vaccine or medicine to specifically treat pigs with cholera, so farmers need to implement methods such as:
At establishments directly raising pigs, it is necessary to disinfect and regularly clean clean. Especially livestock tools, vehicles to help transport pigs in and out of the breeding area. It is possible to disinfect around the barn with lime powder or any other chemical recommended to use disinfectants in livestock. When detecting pigs infected with cholera, it is necessary to destroy and isolate them quickly to avoid spreading and outbreak of disease. Do not buy, sell, transport and consume infected pigs or pigs that are suspected to be sick. Eliminate factors that increase the risk of disease such as flies and mosquitoes to avoid spreading the disease. Consumers need to buy products from pigs of clear origin and must be thoroughly cooked before use, avoid eating products such as raw spring rolls, sour rolls, salads, blood pudding...