African Swine Fever -
what to do? 

African Swine Fever! Be aware! 

Have you heard of African Swine Fever (ASF)? ASF is a viral disease of pigs and wild boar that is usually deadly. The following story is a personal account of encountering ASF while on holiday in Europe and more information on the disease itself.

African Swine Fever! Be aware! The warning sign catches my eye. We are standing at a picnic area close to Rostock, Germany, and eating our sandwich. A last stop before we reach our vacation destination. And because we are on vacation here, the sign confuses me. Let's take a closer look at it. 

The state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany advises travelers not to throw provisions into the countryside, but to dispose of their garbage in trash cans with lids. If there are no lids on the rubbish bin, everybody should take the waste back home and dispose of it properly. But why, and is African Swine Fever  really that close to Germany? And, what does it have to do with our food? 

What is African Swine Fever?

Facts about ASF

Now I realize the connection between African Swine Fever and food waste. If we dispose of our food scraps, which may be contaminated, in nature, we increase the risk of infection for the pigs. For pig farms, this has fatal economic consequences. Fortunately, only a few domestic pigs are currently affected in Germany.

The virus has reached pig farms - What now?

Once the virus has arrived, special measures under animal disease law apply. Farmers must report and kill diseased animals immediately. To stop the spread, a restricted area is established around the farm. Pigs and animals may no longer be transported. And, because the virus can also be transmitted to other animals via clothing, equipment and even means of transport, the entire farm must be extensively cleaned and disinfected.

Biosecurity is a key aspect in counteracting the spread of the animal disease. Biosecurity solutions from LANXESS can help prevent the introduction and spread of disease-causing pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. This can help prevent, for example, cross-contamination between 

• animals,
• plants, 
• surfaces, 
• equipment, 
• transport, 
• air and 
• people.

LANXESS has over 300 products for use in continuous and terminal biosecurity procedures.

Tips for cleaning and disinfecting the barn

1. Cleaning:
Thoroughly clean the stable with a heavy-duty cleaner, such as LANXESS Biosolve^TM or EWA^® FOAM ultra heavy-duty detergents. Washing with water alone reduces contamination by up-to 60%, but using a heavy-duty detergent decreases the original burden by 99%. For example, 2000 times more bacteria are left if you don’t use a suitable heavy-duty detergent. Therefore, thorough washing of all surfaces and equipment with an effective heavy-duty detergent is essential to achieve the best results from any subsequent disinfection procedure.

 

2. Disinfection:
After cleaning, the barn must be thoroughly disinfected. Use a disinfectant with proven efficacy enveloped viruses. Virkon^TM S or Aldekol DES^® 03, from LANXESS, are particularly well suited for this purpose. The powerful peroxygen-based chemistry of Virkon™ S’ formulation provides for a continuously evolving broad spectrum of efficacy against current and emerging disease-causing organisms with specific focus on viral pathogens such as; African Swine Fever (ASF), Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD), and specific strains of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (AI or bird flu). 

Everyone can help reduce ASF from spreading

African Swine Fever is a more sensitive issue than I thought. Everyone's support is important. So let's make sure to dispose our food waste properly in trash cans and do not carelessly throw it into the nature. Actually, this should be a natural thing to do, right?

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