The Potential Role of Wild Suids in African Swine Fever Spread in Asia and the Pacific Region

Abstract

African swine fever (ASF) in Asia and the Pacific is currently dominated by ASF virus transmission within and between domestic pig populations. The contribution made by wild suids is currently not well understood; their distribution, density and susceptibility to the virus has raised concerns that their role in the epidemiology of ASF in the region might be underestimated. Whilst in the Republic of Korea wild suids are considered important in the spread and maintenance of ASF virus, there is an apparent underreporting to official sources of the disease in wild suids from other countires and regions. A review of the current literature, an analysis of the official reporting resources and a survey of the World Organisation of Animal Health Member delegates in Asia and the Pacific were used to assess the potential role of wild suids in ASF outbreaks, and also to gain insight into what ASF management or control strategies are currently implemented for wild suids. Applying appropriate population control and management strategies can be increased in some areas, especially to assist in the conservation of endangered endemic wild suids in this region.

African Swine Fever: Transmission, Spread, and Control through Biosecurity and Disinfection, Including Polish Trends

“…Species susceptible to the ASFV infection belong to the swine family (Suidae), including domestic pigs (Sus scrofa f. domestica), wild boars (Sus scrofa), warthogs (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), and red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus) and wild scrub pigs (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni) [4]. Additionally, ASFV infection was confirmed in endemic wild species in the Asia-Pacific region, including in the bearded pig (Sus barbatus) and Philippine warty pig (Sus philippensis) [44].…”

What can we learn from the five-year African swine fever epidemic in Asia?

“…Besides the endemic wild boar ( Sus scrofa ), the disease is feared to have a potentially serious impact on 11 endemic wild pig species in Southeast Asia ( 125 ). Despite this, ASF notifications have been limited to incidental reports of mortality events in Bornean bearded pigs ( Sus barbatus ), wild boars ( Sus scrofa ) in Laos and Vietnam, and warty pigs ( Sus cebifrons ) in the Philippines ( 124 , 126 , 127 ).…”

“…There is scant information describing the role of wild boars in ASF transmission in Southeast Asia, however, their presence throughout the region suggests the high possibility of spreading and sustaining the ASFV ( 127 ). The fewer ASF notifications in wild boars in Southeast Asia are inexplicable given their high densities, gregarious social behavior, opportunities for contact with domestic pigs, and the landscapes they occupy ( 146 ).…”

The mass mortality of Asia's native pigs induced by African swine fever

“…This follows on prior analyses suggesting ASF could threaten Southeast Asia's 11 endemic wild pig species with severe population crashes or extinction (Luskin et al, 2020). However, reports of ASF in Southeast Asia's wild pigs have been limited to isolated coincidental reports of mortality events of bearded pigs ( Sus barbatus ) in Borneo, wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) in Laos and Vietnam, and warty pigs ( Sus cebifrons ) in the Philippines (Denstedt et al, 2021; Ewers et al, 2021; FAO et al, 2021; Oberin et al, 2022). There has been little reporting on the extent of ASF in wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) from Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra, where the species is abundant—or hyperabundant—across much of the region's intact and degraded forests, including logged, fragmented, and edge habitats (Amir, Moore, et al, 2022; Ickes, 2001; Khalidah et al, 2021; Lamperty et al, 2023; Luskin et al, 2017; Moore et al, 2016).…”