Epizootic Monitoring of African Swine Fever in the Sumy Region

Abstract

The article presents the results of epizootological monitoring of ASF among domestic pigs of pig-breeding complexes and the private sector in the Sumy region from 2019 to 2021, and summarizes statistical materials regarding the outbreaks of the disease since the introduction of the virus into Ukraine. The relevance of the method used in the Sumy regional state laboratory of the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection to diagnose African swine fever and its effectiveness in conducting diagnostic studies for the prevention of contagious animal diseases are considered.
 The analysis of the obtained data revealed that since 2012 there have been 23 outbreaks of ASF in the Sumy region, 52.2 % of which were recorded among pigs in the private sector, 30.4% - within pig-breeding complexes, and 17.4 % of cases were recorded in wild boars that had been shot dead or found dead on the territory of the region. The first outbreak (2014) was recorded among wild animals, which proves the high probability of spreading African swine fever virus from the territory of the Russian Federation across the border. The incidence rate among private sector domestic pigs indicates a low level of biological safety of this method of keeping animals.
 From 2019 to September 2021, 3328 samples (including 1078 samples from private sector and 2250 samples from pig-breeding complexes) from domestic pigs taken from 12 districts and 4 cities of Sumy region were tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction. During this period, 3 outbreaks of ASF were recorded.
 Based on the results of this work, possible sources of ASF introduction and spread throughout the region were identified, as well as proposals were made on the need to improve the disease monitoring strategy. So, epizootological monitoring of African swine fever by specific and sensitive PCR in pig-breeding complexes and private sector of the Sumy region in 2019-2021 years indicates the circulation of the disease among the pig population. Keeping pigs with all biosafety rules, preventing contact of domestic pigs with wild boars and rapid response to outbreaks of the disease will significantly reduce the risks of further spread of ASF in the Sumy region.