African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease of pigs that produces a range of clinical signs and lesions that resemble those of Classical Swine Fever. The disease causes high mortality in domestic and wild pigs. All age groups are equally susceptible to the virus.
ASF spreads through close contact with infected animals or their excretions, or through feeding uncooked contaminated meat to susceptible pigs. In Africa, it has also been spread by warthogs showing no clinical signs of the disease, as well as by soft-bodied ticks.
ASF is hardy in the environment. It does not infect other animals or humans and there are no food safety implications. There is no vaccine for ASF.
