African swine fever spreads: authorities take samples of the case of Disease

Always closer to the African swine fever is approaching in Germany. An outbreak is, according to the authorities only a matter of time. But the main problem are not the animals.

A loud Bark echoes Biberach through a forest in a circle. Female Nike area Director Bernadette Jochum drags behind her to a small clearing. Between the yellow autumn foliage of two massive boar’s body lie motionless. Forester Jochum calls for Nike to be closer to the young quail dog not to come to the animals. She has an evil suspicion. On your phone, it has a message.

A little later men encounter in green Overalls, rubber boots and gloves your. You heave a dead wild boar in a black Box, and the other is in a gray tarp wrapped. The two of you haul the approximately 30-pound animals on a trailer at the edge of the forest. A man in overalls, scatter quicklime on the Fund – for disinfection. Only shortly before this piece was in the forest a dead were wild spotted pig. Cause Of Death: African Swine Fever.

So far, mere fiction

The salvage team has to expect that the disease arrived in the state of Baden-Württemberg – at least in the exercise scenario. Yet it is mere fiction. However, the authorities are warned. In September of the virus infection, infected animals in Belgium had been found close to the German border.

With the large-scale Exercise was rehearsed for three days in the case of an emergency. Between 200 and 300 people were involved, involved were the Ministry of agriculture, among others, in the district of Biberach, veterinary investigation offices, the forest administration and hunting Association. In Germany, it was, according to the Ministry, the first animal you exercise on African swine fever, in this order of magnitude. Also, observers from the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Switzerland and Austria took part.

The risk is high, we prepare a targeted manner to an outbreak, said Baden-württemberg’s Minister of agriculture, Peter Hauk (CDU). The two days before the Occurrence of a disease if it had been played already at the administrative level. It should be found out how well the authorities and associations to work together, responsibilities should be clarified. On Saturday, it was a matter to demonstrate what needs to offside passing the desks.

In the case of a Radius of three kilometers is locked to infected animals

In the Exercise by the Fund of an infected animal has alarmed in warthausen the authorities. In such a case would be around the locality in a Radius of three kilometers with a fence is a type of restricted area established.

At the time of Exercise of an with a thermal imaging camera equipped drone over the area to be encircled. The result of the reconnaissance flight: no living animals in the area. Would have resided in the territory of a fleet, would have initially allowed no one to enter the forest. But the site can be searched in a systematic way. The approach is to be prevented, that the animals are flushed and the Virus is widespread, possibly even more. Killed all the pigs would have to be short or long, however, because of the African swine fever furnished a restricted area.

Found animals are examined on swine fever

After the search party – headed by female, Nike discovered the two dead animals, this facility in the rendering in Warthausen. In a hall a staff bends over one of the sows, and drives her with a cotton swab through the mouth. Blood soaked cotton wool and gloves. This blood sample to the national Veterinary examination office in Aulendorf. Already around 1800 samples of the third Millennium full-HD case, should be wild this year, in Baden-Württemberg, sent. So far, all the findings were negative.

The danger comes from the people

The Exercise showed how sophisticated the control of African swine fever, said Hauk. With the expiration of the three-day Exercise, he is happy: That worked like a charm.

But, a quick Intervention is only a measure to prevent a possible spread in case of an emergency: The main danger from people, not from the animal, makes the Minister. Among experts, one can speak of the disease is already out of the sausage bread. Because in the production of meat, such as Salami or ham, the Virus is not killed.

Travellers throw your sausage rolls carelessly at rest stops the way, can wild pigs be infected, the the radicals. For people, however, the African swine fever is harmless, even if you have eaten infected sausage.

The outbreak of African swine fever in Germany would be for the pig holder is a disaster, – said Hauk. Because infected wild appeared first pigs were threatened with trade restrictions. An agricultural operation is affected, there must be also all the animals as a precaution, killed. The disease in Wild boars and domestic pigs by high fever, eating animals and hardly move, some get diarrhea or vomit. In almost every case, the disease is fatal. In Baden-Württemberg, there are around 5200 pig farms.

Yet the disease has not occurred in Germany. However, it has been widely used already in the Baltic States, Eastern Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania. According to the Ministry of agriculture, there were in the EU this year, approximately 5800 cases. A vaccination does not exist.

This happens in the case of the Disease

The African swine fever were to occur in Germany, are formed corresponding to the crisis staffs. In addition, the Federation and the Länder work together in planned structures closely. In the case of outbreaks in Pig farms, especially the killing of the affected stocks, and lock districts.

More likely an outbreak of the disease is initially in feral pigs. This has been the approach of the Czech Republic according to the competent Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI) as effectively. It is based on a ring system and is of limited use as a blueprint for Germany. In the Czech Republic the disease in June 2017 appeared for the first time since April, 2018 there are no new cases.

Three-zone Plan developed

The German hunting Association, and the FLI have developed a catalog for different scenarios in the case of feral pigs (country, city, many pig stables). Basically, there are three zones around the site are planned: a core area of about 200 acres and the location of the animal, in a vulnerable district of about 100 000 hectares and a buffer zone of about 1.2 million hectares.

Core area: in Order to prevent infected animals from the core area of emigration, and the disease spread, there is a strict ban on hunting. The area of a fence consisting of an electrical streamer is built with a deterrence in the medium, in order to keep the sick and symptom-free wild pigs in the area and allow the infection. Hunters search the area with dogs, the area for dead wild boar.

Endangered the district: this area is intensively hunted, the wild pig density to significantly reduce. Helpers in search of carcasses and, thus, possible sources of infection. Remains of dead wild pigs out of the core zone and the endangered district to be disposed of in separate carcass tons

Buffer zone: Increased hunting pressure driven hunts, where appropriate, with helicopters, drones and thermal imaging cameras to Detect Rotten. In the flood-prone district and the buffer zone applicable to hunting rules such as the observance of periods.

What is African swine fever?

African swine fever is an infection that originally comes from Africa. The Virus is transmitted through direct contact, but can also be transmitted via contaminated meat products. Infected pigs usually die after about a week.

The Virus is very hardy, animals can be infected even when Eating sausage residue. This can happen when a bread roll with a sausage of an infected animal from Truck drivers disposed of at a rest area and of wild swine is eaten.

How did the African swine plague to Europe?

The Virus has come a long way – in 2007, it came from Africa to Georgia and spread from there to Russia and the Baltic States to the Czech Republic and Poland. Recently dead were found in wild boar in Belgium.

Infected pig meat is harmful to health?

No, for people the Virus is harmless. Nevertheless, pigs should be on Farms where the disease breaks out, immediately killed – in the same way as infected wild pigs.

What has already been done?

African swine fever poses for some time for Germany to be a threat, such as Klöckner explained. Accordingly, the preparations for the event of a crisis, run a long time ago. Farmers and Seasonal workers from abroad were given information sheets, a pattern of crisis, the book was written, groups of professionals days.

The Cabinet of Ministers adopted in June a new animal act with other measures – it is nearing completion, as Klöckner emphasized.

According to experts, the risk is high that the Virus is coming to Germany – and not by infected wild pigs, but mainly by people, the meat and sausages to bring to Germany. Nationwide at gas stations and rest areas are already placarded and in front of the swine-fever warned.

The hunters in the country to shoot significantly more animals than otherwise. State governments pay premiums for found dead animals, which are then examined with regard to the swine fever.