9. CONCLUSION
African Swine Fever in India has probably emerged through a neighbouring
country, that shares its border with India. Genetic characterization and
molecular evolutionary analysis to trace the ancestors of the present
outbreak are ongoing. As per the recent statement from OIE, outbreaks of
ASF in India lead to a current count of over 3700 dead pigs in affected
regions (OIE, 2020b). The current statistics and data on the number of
pigs died due to the disease are still undergoing revisions and will be
updated soon by Animal Husbandry departments of Arunachal Pradesh and
Assam states of India. In the present study, we identified the
underlying risk factors that might favour future outbreaks of ASF in the
Indian pig population. On qualitative risk assessment analysis, we
observed that the identified risk factors are well preserved in Indian
geography and might participate in future outbreaks in the country or
disseminating the disease to nearby countries. Therefore, the described
risk factors should be critically considered and each risk factor should
be reassessed at a regional level. Immediate containment measures should
be implemented to control the disease, followed by establishing a
strategic research plan on surveillance and sero-epidemiology of ASF on
domestic and wild pig-population. Studies on the involvement of
biological vectors in the perpetuation and transmission of ASFV is also
important to estimate these risks more accurately in Indian scenario.