Interview Manon Houben
'ASF threat serious, do not let people near pigs'
African swine fever (ASF) has spread further and further into Western Europe over the past 10 years, crossing the Polish-German border almost a year ago. Manon Houben, manager of the pig health department at Royal GD, calls the situation 'serious'. The prevention of ASF introduc- tion is partly in our own hands. In the event of an outbreak in the Netherlands, it has confidence in the approach laid down in the scenarios.
While the situation around ASF may have been a far-from-the-bed show for many for a long time, the troubled situation in East Germany with the associated risks of further spread is now a topic of conversation in the pig sector. In Germany, infected wild boars have been found time and again in recent months. The virus was also detected in domestic pigs in July.
In addition, the outbreak appears to be expanding geographically. A possible outbreak in the Netherlands will have major consequences with regard to the export position and prices for the pig market and thus the pig farmers. In an interview with Manon Houben we try to put the situation in perspective. Can we still prevent introduction together?
What about the contagiousness of African swine fever?
"There are actually 2 things that determine how contagious a disease is. That is first of all the chance that you will run into the virus and secondly how much virus is needed to become ill. From the literature we often have the idea that ASF is extremely contagious. If we now look at the variant that is circulating in Eastern Europe and Germany, we see that this may be slightly less the case. When a company becomes infected, it is not the case that all the animals are sick within a few days. is of course that if no action is taken on an infected farm, almost all animals will die. The virus is characterized by a very high mortality of around 95%. That is what makes ASF so annoying."
So perhaps a little less contagious, but still just as deadly…
"Yes, indeed. To put the speed of infections in perspective, it is good to briefly review the route that the virus has taken. It made landfall in Georgia in 2007. Then it gradually developed into this "It is not the case that the virus blows through the air and can infect animals from a distance. Direct contact between animals and infected material is needed for spread."
You are talking about contamination through contact with contaminated material, are these also insufficiently cleaned means of transport?
"It is a large and resistant virus, but when it comes to contamination via material I am mainly referring to the risk of spreading via meat products, infected pigs and especially carcasses. The virus can survive in dead animals for years. So if a dead boar is not noticed And cleaned up, it can cause an outbreak again a long time later. That makes the virus so difficult to fight."
Apart from strict biosecurity measures on the farms, what can entrepreneurs here in the Netherlands do to prevent introduction?
"In my opinion, the most important point of attention is: know what you are talking about. It occurs in Eastern Europe. So if you have been to swine fever regions, in the forests or on farms, then do not take any risks and take all precautions. on the purchase of feed and materials. Do not buy items from areas where swine fever is prevalent. Although this is not the greatest risk for companies to become infected, it is a possible route. So rule it out."
What can and does the government do?
"Officials at the ministry are continuously very alert to receive signals about the situation, so that they can react quickly if necessary. All existing scenarios that come into effect have also been examined and updated. There are also regular consultations on the ministry, with virtually every link in the chain that has anything to do with pig farming, such as the POV, Nevedi, the COV, the KNVD, but also the hunters' association and the association for hobby pig farmers. wild boars'. Here, with the help of local governments, attempts are made to contain the wild stock, because an outbreak in boars naturally increases the risks for companies. So all in all I really feel that the government is involved and is currently doing what is within its means."
How does the outbreak in Germany differ from that in the Czech Republic and Belgium a few years ago. These countries got the situation under control pretty quickly?
"I am not on site, so it is difficult for me to estimate the situation. The big difference is of course the origin of the contamination. In Belgium there was a point of contamination. The German-Polish border area is very elongated and there are several places where ASF occurs in wild boars in Poland and now also in Germany. And as mentioned, every boar that dies is a potential source for new infections in the long term. The area in Belgium was relatively small and the authorities were able to strict adherence to the scripts under control. In Poland and Germany we are talking about much larger areas, which may also be more inhospitable. This increases the chances that some sick animals are not found by humans. That makes it possible to suppress the disease more difficult."
Is a confinement requirement necessary in areas where swine fever breaks out?
"In the Netherlands, there are good agreements about this, which are laid down in scripts. It is actually already mandatory that animal enclosures are properly fenced outside and that no unauthorized persons can get to pigs. This prevents them from being fed. That is always a risk and therefore has been banned for a long time. The public and every pig farmer must be very well aware of this: make sure that people cannot just reach pigs. That also applies to wild boars, of course. It must not be the case that - when a human happens to have a "Whenever you have something contaminated with ASF - can come into contact with wild boars. There is a substantial risk that pigs will contract the virus when they are fed."
Greater than the risk of, for example, piglet export to farms in contaminated areas?
"I believe that with a good double cleaning and disinfection of return trucks, the export to such companies is certainly not the greatest risk. However, the point is that sometimes we do not know exactly what else these means of transport do in the destination areas. If they come back empty and immediately? Then I consider the risks small. However, it is possible that a load with pigs from there is still being driven in the destination country. That is unwise."
About the fight in the future: the vaccine. Why does it take so long to develop a vaccine?
"It is a difficult virus that adapts very quickly. Work is being done on it and steps are being taken, but in practice it turns out to be very difficult to generate good immunity to this virus. easy to make a good vaccine, but that is really not always the case. Think of AIDS, for example, there is still no vaccine for that. In other words: every virus is different and ASF turns out to be a tough one. However, it is true that the bigger the problem becomes, the more research and development money becomes available.You would also naturally want a vaccine that can be administered orally, so that it can also be used in wild boars.In addition, it must also be recognizable after vaccination that it is for a vaccine and not for a field virus, this in connection with the export position, so there are a lot of snags."
So not within a year?
"I say no. But I hope I'm wrong."
Last question: will the Netherlands remain free of AVP?
"You are now asking me to look into a crystal ball. The situation is very worrying. If something similar happens in the Netherlands as in Belgium, for example, I am hopeful that we will find it quickly and stop the outbreak. The scenarios will then give us handles to contain such an outbreak. We have mastered it before (classical swine fever in 1984 and 1997). The biggest concern is the consequences of an outbreak for the sector. What makes it difficult now is that the outbreak in Eastern Europe spreads like an oil slick over large areas. Hopefully the Germans will still get the virus under control. Pigs from East Germany still have a lot of man-made and natural obstacles to get here. We have to do it ourselves being aware of the situation and acting accordingly with us. That is crucial and we can control it ourselves."
In this context, a last tip that you would like to give pig farmers?
"I think it is important that people are well aware of what African swine fever is. It is really a different disease, caused by a different virus than classical swine fever. It is important that people realize that. That way you can quickly recognize it the moment it does enter a Dutch stable. If that happens, it is extremely important that action is taken quickly."
Steve Wissink
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