A quarter of the world's pigs expected to die from swine fever, scientist warn

Huge numbers of pigs could die because of the fever, experts say
REUTERS/Ryan Woo/File Photo
Ellena Cruse31 October 2019

A quarter of the world's pigs are expected to be wiped out by African swine fever, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health.

Authorities are trying to get to grips with the fast-spreading disease that has already been detected in China, which rears half the world's supply of hogs.

A sharp reduction in pig population could lead to food shortages, high pork prices and inflame a "world-wide crisis", said Mark Schipp, the organisation's president.

It might also cause issues for products which are made from the omnivores, including the human blood-thinner heparin.

Scientists are working on a vaccine against the illness.
AFP via Getty Images

Dr Schipp added: "I don't think the species will be lost, but it's the biggest threat to the commercial raising of pigs we've ever seen,

"And it's the biggest threat to any commercial livestock of our generation."

African swine fever, fatal to pigs but no threat to humans, has already killed pig herds in many Asian countries.

Chinese authorities have destroyed about 1.2million in an effort to contain the disease since August 2018.

The disease has inflamed a 'world-wide crisis'.
AFP via Getty Images

The price of pork has nearly doubled from a year ago in China, which produces and consumes two-thirds of the world's pork.

China's efforts to buy pork abroad, as well as smaller outbreaks in other countries, are pushing up global prices.

"There are some shortages in some countries, and there's been some substitutions using other sources of protein, which is driving up the prices of other proteins," said Dr Schipp.

Progress has been made towards a vaccine, but the work is challenging because the virus itself has a large and complex structure.

The doctor, who is Australia's chief veterinary officer said big steps were made when scientists worked out the 3D structure of the virus.

African swine fever is spread by contact among pigs, through contaminated fodder and by ticks. It originated in South Africa and appeared in Europe in the 1960s.

A recent reappearance in western Europe came from wild pigs transferred into Belgian forests for hunting purposes.

Its capacity to spread rapidly is shown by its spread from China in the past year, Dr Schipp said. Mongolia, the Korean peninsula, south-east Asia and East Timor have all had outbreaks.

He explained the spread reflects the global movement of pork and people but also the effect of tariffs and trade barriers, which sends those obtaining pork to seek out riskier sources.

Quality control is also difficult for products such as skins for sausages, salamis and similar foods.

"Those casing products move through multiple countries," he added.

"They're cleaned in one, graded in another, sorted in another, partially treated in another, and finally treated in a fourth of fifth country. They've very hard to trace, through so many countries."

He praised China's efforts to battle the disease and said the outbreaks would change the way pigs are raised.

He said: "In China, previously they had a lot of backyard piggeries. They're seeing this as an opportunity to take a big step forward and move to large-scale commercial piggeries.

"The challenge will be to other countries without the infrastructure or capital reserves to scale up in those ways."

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