The appearance of an outbreak of African swine fever (APP) on November 26 is of capital importance because it affects a pig farm which has been in a health situation for many years after years of control and prevention measures. The last presence of the ASF virus dates back more than 30 years, on September 30, 1994, Spain was declared free on November 24, 1995.
This episode did not arouse much surprise among veterinarians, who have been warning for some time about the slow but constant progression of the virus coming from Eastern Europe, as well as the existence of best practices in the dairy product trade. Today, in November 2024, a simulation of a possible ASF outbreak was carried out in Catalonia.
The first thing to know is that ASF is not a zoonotic disease, it does not affect humans, only the dead: brains and wild boars. The jabalíes constitute one of the reservoirs of the virus. It is a disease with enormous economic consequences, slowing international trade in meat and meat products. In this context, the pork sector occupies a strategic position in Spain, on the ground due to its economic weight, as well as the singular value of Iberian meat and meat products, recognized for their quality and unique character.
Commissions were created by the Ministry of Agriculture on December 5 with the aim of “giving advice on the evolution and monitoring of ASF in Spain, as well as on possible measures to be adopted to control and eradicate the virus in Spain” and 3 days later by the Generalitat of Catalonia, with the aim of “researching the origin of the African Swine Fever (ASF) epidemic” and which include members of the weak investigation laboratory. This composition could give the impression of a lack of separation between the investigative bodies and the entities involved, which is why it would be particularly necessary to strengthen the guarantees of impartiality, transparency and rigor in the progress of the work. At this point, the only information available comes from the commission appointed by the General Authority, which does not exclude any hypothesis, just like the opinion given by the order during the press conference, assuming that the sequence of the virus will be decisive. It is essential that the final conclusions obtained are completely reliable and transparent, in order to preserve the confidence and prestige of the Spanish pig sector, whose credibility is essential at national and international level.
Concerning the origin of this outbreak, several hypotheses have been considered, from the beginning of the mouth, to the deliberate attack, but in light of the eggs, the hypothesis of the escape of the virus from the IRTA-CreSa laboratory, located in the same area where the first dead eggs appeared, was carried out. he who worked with the virus which caused the death of infected wild boars, as demonstrated by certain works published in October and November of this year by the staff of the center. In the second of these publications, they indicate that the strain used was “Georgia 2007/1 (genotype II)”, the same type of strain isolated in the Barcelona outbreak. This strain, according to the MAPA report, “is a ‘reference’ virus frequently used in experimental infections in containment facilities to carry out viral studies or to evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines, currently in the development phase.”
The economic consequences of this epidemic could be very serious: in 2024, exports of meat and meat products to many countries on five continents will exceed 8.7 billion euros. Currently, the price of white brains has been declining since the outbreak of the outbreak, with Spanish farmers estimated to be losing more than 47 million euros each week. But this drop in prices has been underway since the beginning of the year, so the PPA has not yet worsened a complex economic situation that could seriously jeopardize the viability of many small and medium-sized farms with less financial capacity.
In addition to intensive breeding, Iberian pork producers are very worried, because at these times their brains end up in the mountains, grazing on their backs in freedom and in contact with wild boars that could transmit the disease. Iberian hairs constitute the pillar of Spanish agri-food exports, whose viability could be seriously compromised if the emphasis is not controlled with the greatest speed, even if it is linked to the epidemiological dynamics of the ASF virus. In the initial phases of introduction into a previously free area, the disease may manifest acutely, with high mortality, but as the virus becomes established it tends to become chronic, increasing the latency period and the number of animals showing only symptoms, making early detection of new outbreaks difficult and progressively complicating eradication efforts.
This phenomenon is particularly important in the case of wild boars, which constitute a natural reservoir of the virus and whose movements contribute to the spread of the disease. It is estimated that a jabalí can travel between 5 and 15 kilometers per day, implying that in the absence of effective control measures, the area of potential outbreak expansion can increase significantly in a very short time. These circumstances acquire particular importance in the Iberian deer production system, based mainly on extensive exploitations, with animals in freedom and in potential contact with wild fauna, in particular with wild boars. This reality makes Iberian pork one of the most sensitive subsectors in relation to PPA, much more than intensive systems, where biosecurity measures are much easier to implement, in the field it is not possible to leave the doors aside.
The long history of African swine fever in Spain clearly illustrates the complexity of its control and eradication. The more than three decades it took to eradicate it included intense surveillance programs, vacant health posts, biosecurity campaigns and strict delineation of affected areas, with sanitary cordons and movement restrictions. During this period, areas with extensive production systems, such as Extremadura and Andalusia – where Iberian cerdo is traditionally created in dehesa – have required particularly prolonged efforts to reduce transmission, contributing to the latest efforts to achieve ASF-free status. This historical experience of veterinary services underlines the importance of avoiding the reintroduction of the virus into these producing regions, because once established, it is extremely difficult to eradicate, particularly in contexts of free movement of wildlife and extensive production.
In this context, it is essential to approach brood management with maximum technical rigor, transparency and speed, prioritizing the immediate containment of the outbreak and the adoption of all necessary measures to prevent its expansion, especially in the main Iberian pig production areas. Historical experience demonstrates that once African swine fever was introduced into extensive systems, its eradication became a long and complex process with considerable economic and social consequences. Therefore, prevention, effective control of wildlife, support for biosecurity and complete and objective clarification of the origin of the germ constitute key elements in the ground to overcome the current situation, but also to preserve animal health, the viability of the Spanish pork sector and the international prestige of its productions.
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