The rising fear of swine fever

The African swine fever remains a non resolved puzzle to pig keepers, despite the existing efforts by the government and researchers to find the best way for prevention of the disease.

A recent research by Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) has established that about 350,000 pigs worth about Sh600 million have died due to swine fever in five months (from January to May this year).

The research was collectively done in five regions that includes Morogoro, Mbeya, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and coastal region.

Speaking to Your Health at the 41st Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), the SUA researcher of animal diseases Dr Msomy Anthony said that the disease, which has a high mortality rate in pigs, has caused panic in the area where pig farming has been a booming business.

He suggested that the government should ban transportation of live affected pigs to other regions in order to avoid spread of the disease to other pigs.

“We also have to now seize all pigs, which are found roaming around streets as well as ensuring that all dead pigs are carefully buried,” he noted.

He went on saying that, farmers should also kill those pigs with symptoms of such African swine fever to avoid transmission to others.

According to him, few among the symptoms of disease are, haemorrhages on skin, lying down huddled together shivering, and bleeding.

“When you see these symptoms, you have to separate them, kill and bury before they transform to other pigs,” he said.

The infected pig takes at least three to four days before dying. The main cause of the disease is wild pigs, that they carry swine fever viruses and transmit to domestic pigs.

However, Your Health learnt that swine fever viruses do not harm the wild pigs, only domestic ones.

“We want to find out what makes a wild pig survive over the disease, and see if we can use the same reason to prevent or heal domestic pigs,” Mr Anthony said in relation to SUA’s research.

Why solve the puzzle?

SUA plans to start a research in a near future, with the aim to help farmers and businessmen to get better products.

“We understand how pork is an important driver in economic earnings and food security,” Mr Anthony said. Pig keeping has been mostly done by rural households and the business is booming all over the country and foreign markets. Upon speaking on dangers to human health, Mr Anthony informs, no side effects to human beings have been found yet but he warns that it is not safe to eat pork of an affected pig.