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African Swine Fever - what does it look like?

Images illustrating the clinical signs and gross pathology of African Swine Fever (ASF) have been provided by The Pirbright Institute and compiled to assist pig keepers and veterinarians in the recognition of disease due to ASF in pigs.

The images are based on disease due to a virulent ASF virus strain like the virus which has been spreading in Eastern and Central Europe.

ASF is a notifiable disease and any suspicion must be reported to us immediately.

Information on the disease and guidance on reporting suspect swine fever is also available on GOV.UK.

The main risk for introduction of ASF into pigs in the UK is through feeding infected pork or wild boar meat or products from ASF affected areas.

It is vital that pig keepers and vets take note of this and ensure that pigs, even those kept as pets, are never allowed access to catering waste of any description or domestic food waste; feeding such material is also illegal. 

Some outbreaks of African swine fever in Europe have been attributed to wild boar or domestic pigs consuming contaminated pork or pork products. 

A poster for pig keepers is available to download to warn them of the risk and what they can do to reduce it.

Published: 18 June 2018