Deepak Subedi1,
Suman Bhandari1, Saurav Pantha1,
Uddab Poudel1, Milan Kandel2,
Surendra Karki3, Santosh Dhakal4
1 Paklihawa Campus, Institute of Agriculture and
Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Paklihawa, Rupandehi, Nepal.
2 Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal.
3 Epidemiology. Department of Epidemiology and Public
Health, Himalayan College of Agriculture Sciences and Technology,
Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
4 W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular
Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.
* Correspondence: Corresponding Author: Deepak Subedi; subedideepu26@gmail.com
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.
Keywords: African Swine Fever, African Swine Fever Virus, Pig
industry, Domestic and wild pigs, Virus transmission, Preventive
measures