PigProgress reports that African Swine Fever (ASFv) has been detected on a farm in northern Italy, where the majority of the country's pig industry is concentrated. This is the first case of ASF in domestic pigs in the northern part of the country.

Clear Confirmation

In a report from the World Organization for Animal Health, it has become clear that the virus was confirmed on a farm in the Lombardy region, Pavia province, near the village of Montebello della Battaglia.

The farm had 166 pigs on-site, of which 130 animals had contracted the virus. All pigs, if not killed by the virus, were slaughtered.

The virus was first suspected on August 17th. Authorities reported it as an isolated event with no contact with other farms, while surveillance in neighboring areas was increased.

In wild boar populations, the first outbreak of ASF, genotype II, was detected in Italy in early January 2022. This also happened in the northern part of the country. Since then, the virus has appeared in three other regions of Italy.

The Lombardy, Piedmont, and Liguria Regions

In this northern part of the country, the virus has caused the most casualties. By the end of August 2023, the number of confirmed casualties was 909 wild boars. The area where infected carcasses were found is the largest of the four infected zones, spanning three regions (Lombardy, Piedmont, and Liguria) and measuring 80 km by 55 km.

Until the beginning of this month, the virus had not been confirmed in domestic pigs. Fresh outbreaks in wild boars continue to be found in this area.

The Region around Rome

A second concentration of ASF outbreaks in wild boars occurred on the outskirts of Rome. So far, 91 wild boars have been found infected there. Geographically, this area is much smaller than the one in northern Italy, all within an area of approximately 10x5 km.

A small pig farm with 9 pigs was infected here in June 2022. The first infected wild boar carcasses were reported in May 2022, and in recent weeks, the number of infected animals has not increased significantly.

The Campania Region

A third area where ASF has appeared in the last two years in wild boars is in Campania, a region south of Naples. In this area, measuring approximately 20 km from east to west, 27 infected wild boar carcasses have been found so far.

Most of the outbreaks have been in and around the Cilento, Vallo di Diano, and Alburni National Park. The first outbreaks in wild boars were confirmed in May 2023, and the number of outbreaks has remained stable in recent weeks.

The Calabria Region

Last but not least, a fourth area has emerged in the deep south of Italy, just east of Reggio di Calabria. In that area, 16 wild boar carcasses tested positive. In and around this region measuring 30x30 km, a total of 5 pig farms have been found positive in the months of May and June this year.

The largest of these 5 farms had 239 pigs on-site, while the smallest had 12 pigs on its premises. In wild boars, the first outbreaks were found at the end of April, and the number of infected wild boars does not seem to have increased much in recent weeks.

ASF, Genotype I in Sardinia

Being the only country in Europe, Italy has known another genotype of ASFv for decades. On the island of Sardinia, the PPA virus, genotype I, has been endemic since the 1970s when the virus was spread throughout Southern Europe.

While it has been eradicated from Spain, Portugal, and France, ASF remains endemic in Sardinia. For this reason, exports from the island are very well regulated and monitored.