First suspected case of African swine fever in NRW

The first suspected case of African swine fever (ASF) is being investigated in North Rhine-Westphalia. A hunter found a dead wild boar in the Sauerland municipality of Kirchhundem in the Olpe district, the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection announced. After an initial examination by the local Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office (CVUA Westphalia) in Arnsberg, the animal tested positive for swine fever. Confirmation from the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, is still pending.

So far, this has only been a single suspected case. Preventive measures to protect against the possible spread of African swine fever in the region are already underway.

African swine fever is harmless to humans. The same applies to domestic and farm animals other than pigs. However, infection with the ASF virus is almost always fatal for domestic and wild pigs.

The Ministry of Agriculture has immediately convened an ASF coordination group, it added. If the infection is confirmed by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, the primary goal will be to contain the animal disease to as small an area as possible and prevent its spread and transmission to domestic pig populations. There is no vaccination against ASF.

Swine fever, originally widespread in Africa, was first detected in the European Union in 2014. North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has long taken preventive measures against ASF and prepared for an outbreak of the animal disease. In June 2024, the disease was first detected in wild boars in the neighboring federal states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. Two domestic pig populations have now also been affected.

In addition to direct contact with infected wild boars, the main source of transmission of ASF is human behavior. The pathogen can also be transmitted and spread via clothing, shoes, car tires, or food scraps, such as a carelessly discarded sausage sandwich. Food scraps were suspected to be the cause of the outbreak in the Rhine-Main area.

As early as 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia's Agriculture Minister Silke Gorißen (CDU) declared that an outbreak of swine fever in North Rhine-Westphalia was not a question of if, but of when. She warned returning travelers, truck drivers, and commuters against carelessly discarding leftover food such as sausage sandwiches at rest stops. The state also increased the deployment of specially trained search dog units in the forests.

• Pathogen: African swine fever is caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), which belongs to the Asfarviridae family. This virus is highly resistant and can survive in a variety of environmental conditions, making it difficult to control.
• Transmission : The virus can be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals, through contaminated materials such as feed, clothing, or vehicles, and through blood-sucking insects such as ticks. Wild boars and their movements play a particularly central role in the spread of ASF.
• Symptoms: Infected pigs can exhibit a variety of symptoms, including high fever, loss of appetite, skin hemorrhages, and ataxia. The disease often leads to high mortality rates, potentially wiping out entire herds.
• Control and prevention : There is currently no vaccine against African swine fever, so preventive measures are crucial. These include strict hygiene measures, monitoring and control of livestock populations, and restricting pig trade from affected regions. Controlling ASF often requires the culling of affected animals to prevent further spread.