The risk of African Swine Fever (ASF) eventually entering the U.S. has doubled since the epidemic began in 2018, according to new research.
Following the recent spread of ASF in Asia and western Europe, a team of researchers from around the world set out to measure the risk of ASF entering the U.S. through the smuggling of pork products in air passenger luggage. Their findings were recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
In addition to the elevated risk of the disease spreading to the U.S. – and potentially to Canada as well - the study also found there’s a high probability that the ASF virus has already reached U.S. borders through smuggling of pork products – with only the work of American customs and border protection officials currently keeping it out.
“If ASF were to enter the United States, its spread would cause immense economic damage to the pork industry and food production more broadly, leading to the loss of billions of dollars for swine producers,” said study co-author Andres Perez, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Animal Health and Food Safety.
“Our study’s findings can help support decision-making for disease surveillance strategies in the U.S. swine industry and transportation hubs.”
A disease only contagious in pigs and wild boars, ASF has been spreading across the Caucasus region, Europe and Asia since 2007. Since the 2018 outbreak in China, the country has slaughtered an estimated 1.2 million animals.
Source : Syngenta