Wednesday 17 April 2024 – 11.20am
There swine fever pressing at the gates of Tuscany, with two of the 13 new cases detected in Liguria identified in Varese Ligurein La Spezia right on the border with the regional territory and in particular with the province of Massa-Carrara.
The data comes from the latest specific bulletin released by theZooprophylactic Institute experimental of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta.
The expansion of African swine fever (ASF) is a specter for Tuscan farmers, and the presence of infections in the populations of wild boars – as in the case of La Spezia – represents a nightmare for the mobility that characterizes wildlife. Here it is below map of the cases confirmed by the Izs which shows the proximity to the Tuscan border.
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The disease and surveillance measures in Tuscany
The disease causes huge losses for farmers due to its diffusivity which compromises the animals. Furthermore, the virus is resistant and survives for a long time even in the fresh and frozen meats of infected animals, as well as in cured meat where it remains infectious for up to 6 months.
One has been active in Tuscany since 2019 surveillance passive aimed at wild boars that died from causes other than hunting, as envisaged by the national ASF prevention plan. The activity is implemented through the reporting and diagnostic control of all wild boars found dead (including deaths from road accidents) and of all suspected cases (such as in cases of increased mortality, symptoms attributable to swine fever, epidemiological connection).
The management of reports of carcasses found is implemented by Veterinary Services of Local Health Authorities in collaboration with the public and private entities involved according to their respective skills.
