loading page

Global and Regional Epidemiology of African Swine Fever and Its Risk in Nepal
  • +4
  • Deepak Subedi,
  • Suman Bhandari,
  • Saurav Pantha,
  • Uddab Poudel,
  • Milan Kandel,
  • Surendra Karki,
  • Santosh Dhakal
Deepak Subedi
Paklihawa Campus, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Suman Bhandari
Paklihawa Campus, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University
Saurav Pantha
Paklihawa Campus, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University
Uddab Poudel
Paklihawa Campus, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University
Milan Kandel
Agriculture and Forestry University
Surendra Karki
Epidemiology. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Public Health, Himalayan College of Agriculture Sciences and Technology
Santosh Dhakal
W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.

Abstract

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral infection of domestic and wild pigs with high mortality. First reported in East Africa in early 1900s, ASF was largely controlled in the domestic pigs of many countries. However, in recent years ASF outbreaks have been reported in several countries in Europe and Asia. The occurrence of ASF in China, the largest pork producer in the world, in 2018 and in India, the country that surrounds and shares open borders with Nepal, has increased the risk of ASF transmission to Nepal. Lately, pig farming practices is growing in Nepal overcoming traditional religious and cultural biases against it. However, emergence of viral infections like ASF can severely affect its growth and sustainability. When there are no effective vaccines available to prevent it, the government should focus on preventing entry of the virus through strict quarantine measures in the borders, controlling illegal trades, and by effective management practices including biosecurity measures.