African Swine Fever (ASF) is a severe, highly infectious and incurable viral infection that only affects domestic pigs and wild boars and is almost always fatal to the infected pigs.

The animal disease has been spreading in Europe since 2014, with Eastern European countries being mostly affected.

The first cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) were officially confirmed in wild boar in Germany in 2020; and in 2021, Germany confirmed the first cases in kept pigs.

For more information on the ASF cases in wild boar and outbreaks in kept pigs in Germany, please consult the Animal Disease Information System (TSIS).

The risk of infection is especially high when pigs have come into contact with the blood or cadaver of an infected animal.

No, the ASF virus only infects pigs (wild boar and kept pigs). It is not transmissible to humans – neither through consumption of pigmeat nor via direct contacts with the animals.

However, humans play a crucial role in spreading the animal disease, for instance by improperly disposing of food containing the ASF virus or by wearing shoes or using vehicles which carry the ASF virus.

In 2007, the ASF virus spread from Africa to Georgia; probably through the Black Sea port of Poti. From there, it has since then spread across several Transcaucasian countries and reached Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

In early 2014, the animal disease reached the European Union and has continued to spread since then, in some cases over large distances.

Although it cannot be ruled out that infected wild boar may cross national borders, humans are mainly responsible for the virus spreading over large distances. The virus may, for example, spread through carelessly discarded contaminated pigmeat products.

Cooperation of pig farmers is vital: The primary objective is to avoid that kept pigs come into direct and indirect contact with wild boars. Farmers have to isolate their herds in such way that – in so far as possible – neither the animals kept nor the feed and litter used, nor the purchased or the farm’s own manure, nor any of the implements used in the livestock building, such as shoes or boots, come into contact with wild boars.

Furthermore, farmers must comply with the general hygiene and biosecurity measures and the provisions laid down in the Ordinance on Hygiene Requirements for Pig Husbandry.

In the event that animals show signs that are typical of ASF, a veterinarian has to take appropriate samples and send them to the respective competent testing facility of the Länder (federal states) in order to have them tested for a possible ASF infection. There is an early detection system in place, which provides for the examination of every first dead animal each week.

Additionally, farm veterinarians and farmers are required to send in samples (particularly blood samples) to obtain diagnostic clarification on, for instance, general fever infections, abortions, or an increased number of dead animals in pig holdings.

Arable farmers should support the hunt for wild boars, for example by establishing shooting lanes across the fields.

No, currently there is no vaccination against ASF. Research in order to develop a vaccine has already been conducted for a long period of time.

Since the ASF virus is highly resistant, the potential introduction via transport vehicles poses a threat. Transport companies returning to Germany, e.g. from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine or the affected areas of the European Union have to prove that the vehicles have been cleaned and disinfected in accordance with EU law.

Wild boar are to be hunted intensively as a preventive measure. In addition, hunters should pay special attention to wild boar found dead and send samples to the competent veterinary testing facility. Ideally, these samples should consist of blood or spleen; otherwise, samples of other organs or a bone may also be sent in. Even parts that have begun to decompose can still be tested. For appropriate sampling, samples should be taken with a swab and transferred into sealable plastic tubes. The materials can be obtained from the competent veterinary authority.

As the blood of infected animals is highly infectious, the materials which came into contact with the blood should be handled with particular care. This includes, for example, boots, cloths, tubs for transporting game, knives and clothing.

Game trophies and wild boar products bear a considerable risk of spreading ASF. The same applies to pieces of clothing and objects that have been used for hunting. This is why all hunters are required to place particular emphasis on hygienic measures when hunting in affected areas. Bringing back unprocessed trophies or meat and meat products from wild boar from these regions is prohibited.

In case of an outbreak among pig herds, all pigs of the affected herd have to be culled and safely disposed of. Large-scale restricted zones, including one protection zone (with a radius of at least three kilometres around the affected holding), and a surveillance zone (with a radius of at least ten kilometres around the affected holding) will be set up. Within the restricted zones, the transport of animals and their products from and to the holdings located there will be prohibited (exemptions are possible subject to conditions). Both pig herds and wild boars are subject to thorough examinations in these zones.

A number of veterinary certificates for the export of pigmeat and pigmeat products to third countries require the confirmation that Germany is free from ASF. At the moment, Germany is no longer able to provide this confirmation. The date from which the import is prohibited depends on the specific regulations in place in third countries. Provided that third countries actively inform the BMEL of such an import ban, we will forward this information promptly to associations and the competent authorities in the federal states. Therefore, the corresponding information can be obtained from the respective industrial association or the veterinary office. If this information is not available to the bodies for the third country in question, it is suggested that information is requested from the trading partner in the third country on whether the clearance of such goods is still possible.

After intensive negotiations, some third countries have come to accept the principle of regionalisation. Therefore, the export of pigmeat from ASF-free areas in Germany to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Vietnam, and Singapore, among others, is once again possible. Certain third countries, such as Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa, permit exceptions from the complete export ban for treated/processed pigmeat products or products derived from pigs (e.g. gelatine).

The BMEL does not currently have any further information on new trade restrictions applicable to the export of pigmeat and pigmeat products on the grounds of the detection of African Swine Fever in kept pigs.

The BMEL strongly advocates the continuation of regionalisation negotiations with other trading partners.