August 22, 2007

Georgia reports more cases of African Swine Fever

The former Soviet state of Georgia has reported another outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), the World Organization for Animal Health OIE reported (Aug 21).

The outbreak was confirmed near the towns of Babushari and Latta, both in the autonomous region of Abkhazia, in the North of Georgia, according to Dr Levan Ramishvili, chairman of the veterinary union at the country's ministry of agriculture in Tbilisi.

The animals were found suspect in the early part of the month and swine fever was confirmed after a necropsy of the animals

By then, the disease had afflicted 341 of the 400 animals in the farm.

The pigs are thought to be infected by fomites, leading authorities to suspect the carrier of the disease could have been humans, vehicles or feed.

More than 10 percent of Georgia's pig population has been affected by the disease.

Out of an estimated total of 500,000 pigs in the country, about 30,000 pigs died and a total of 22,000 pigs had to be culled. Most of the pigs in Georgia were kept in backyards or small farms.

Georgia has imposed control of animal movements inside the country, disinfection of the infected premises, quarantine and vaccination.

In recent months, outbreaks of the disease in Georgia caused Russia to close its borders for Georgian pork when the disease was reported in 52 out of 65 districts of the country.