December 2, 2009

African swine fever re-emerges in Russia

Russia has been detected with the recurrence of the African swine fever (ASF), according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The Russian veterinary authorities sent Follow-up Report No. 1 to the OIE earlier last week. According to the report, the ASF outbreak has taken place in the Volgograd Oblast.

The disease is still prevalent, and the OIE is still not able to provide a date as to when the issue might be resolved. The report states that the countries wild boars have been affected.

The source of the outbreak has not yet been determined.

Three tests - direct immunofluorescence (DIF), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation tests - were carried out, and all results pointed to the presence of the disease in the country.