March 10, 2005

Bulgaria suspends Romanian pork imports as preventive measure against pig disease

Bulgaria banned pork imports from neighbouring Romania in order to prevent the spread of a contagious pig disease in the country, the Bulgarian agriculture ministry revealed.

Cases of swine vesicular disease (SVD), a viral illness, have already been reported in Romania, the statement added.

SVD is clinically indistinguishable from foot-and-mouth disease but is caused by a completely different virus.

It does not affect humans but is highly contagious and can be lethal to livestock.

The ban on imports does not concern meat that has passed thermal or chemical treatment, which guarantees the destruction of the SVD virus, the ministry added.