A new line of investigation to determine the origin of the outbreak of African swine fever virus detected in wild boars in Collserola Park, in the province of Barcelona. In a complementary way to the hypothesis that food contamination is the primary cause of PPA in Catalonia, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced next month that it will inquire whether the virus emerged from a laboratory. The movement arrives after receiving a report communicating the results of the PPA virus genome sequence.
According to details received from the Ministry of Agriculture in a statement, the report issued by the Center for Animal Health Research (CISA-INIA), from Valdolmos (Madrid), an EU reference laboratory, compiles the molecular characterization by sequencing the genome of the PPA virus and comparing it to the different African swine fever viruses detected throughout the European Union.
All viruses currently circulating in Brazilian states belong to genogroups 2-28 and in the new genogroup 29 that belongs to the virus causing the outbreak in the Barcelona province – very similar to genogroup 1 that spread in Georgia in 2007.
The “Georgia 2007” virus strain is a “reference” virus that is frequently used in experimental infections in containment facilities to conduct virus studies or to evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines, which are currently in the development stage.
Therefore, the emergence of a virus similar to the virus spreading in Georgia does not rule out its origin in a biological detention facility. However, it should be noted that viruses, in natural conditions, when they spread through infection cycles in animals, suffer, to the greatest extent, from changes in their genome.
It is concluded from the report that it is possible that the origin of the virus is not in animals or products of animal origin originating from some countries where the infection is currently present.
Inform the Natural Protection Service of the Civil Guard (SEPRONA) of the need to investigate these crimes, as it is the competent authority to investigate possible violations or environmental crimes. Initiation of an investigation into the origin of the virus within the framework of Article 57.2 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, of the European Parliament and of the Council, dated 9 March 2016.
(Breaking news. Update available)