African swine fever (ASF) investigation
Summary
African swine fever (ASF) may cause sudden deaths or unexplained illness in pigs. If illness or deaths in pigs you have attended are potentially consistent with disease due to ASF, samples should be submitted to exclude or confirm infection. ASF cannot be diagnosed or differentiated from Classical swine fever on clinical grounds alone.
This Primefact is a resource for veterinarians investigating suspect ASF cases and provides guidance on collecting and submitting samples, and links to resources about farm biosecurity, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), personal decontamination and restraining and collecting blood from pigs.
If you see clinical signs or deaths in animals that may be due to ASF or any other exotic notifiable disease you should notify immediately by phoning:
- the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) watch hotline number on 1800 675 888 (monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year).
- your Local Land Services on 1300 795 299 during business hours
Topics in this Primefact include:
- Biosecurity for field visits
- Disinfectants
- Restraining pigs and collecting samples
- Resources for identifying clinical disease and pathological lesions
- Laboratory diagnostic testing for ASF
- Sampling domestic pigs
- Sampling feral pigs
- Swab viral transport media
- Labelling of samples
- Packing ASF samples
- Sample submission
- Laboratory testing arrangements
