Classical swine fever is a highly contagious general disease that only occurs in pigs. It is not dangerous for humans.

Worldwide, except Australia and New Zealand

All pigs, domestic pigs and wild boars

Directly from animal to animal and indirectly via contaminated objects, e.g. shoes, clothing, work equipment, transport vehicles

2-14 days

High fever (40-41 °C), disturbance of general condition, faintness, trembling ("shivering piglet"), bruising, purulent nasal/eye discharge, initially constipation, then diarrhoea, convulsions. The mortality rate varies between 30 % and 100 %.

There is no therapy

Prophylactic vaccinations are not allowed in the EU (in case of need only with an exemption from the EU).

Austria has been free of classical swine fever in domestic pigs since 1997 and free of classical swine fever in feral pigs since April 2003. There is an official, risk-based monitoring programme in which several thousand samples are tested for the classical swine fever virus and antibodies every year.

Classical swine fever is a highly infectious general disease that only occurs in pigs. The disease is caused by a virus (CSFV, CSFV) from the genus Pestivirus, family Flaviviridae. CSF has been recognised as an infectious disease since 1933 (Ohio, USA) and occurs worldwide with the exception of Australia and New Zealand. Swine fever only affects animals of the Suidae family (true pigs or Old World pigs). Human infection is not known.

CSFV is transmitted through direct (animal to animal) and indirect contact (e.g. shoes, clothing, work equipment, transport vehicles). Virus excretors and slaughter and meat products containing the virus are the most important factors in the outbreak of classical swine fever. Virus excretion can begin as early as one day after infection in saliva, nasal, eye and throat secretions. Excretion via urine and faeces begins later. Severely ill animals excrete the classical swine fever virus until death or until approx. 1 month after recovery. Chronically ill pigs and pigs with poor health excrete the virus for six months. The virus is absorbed via the digestive tract, more rarely via the conjunctiva or the nasal mucosa.

The incubation period of CSF is 2 - 14 days, in acute cases usually 3 - 7 days. In piglets infected in the womb, it can take months for the disease to break out.

Symptoms

The course of classical swine fever depends on a number of factors (age, direction of utilisation, virus virulence, infection dose). Congenital infections with classical swine fever virus are manifested by weakness, "trembling piglets", stunting with dermatitis, leucopenia and incoordination.

A distinction is made between three clinical pictures:

• acute form (classic form)
• chronic form
• atypical form

The acute form is characterised by high fever (40-41 °C), general malaise, fatigue, anorexia, weakness in the hindquarters, tremors ("trembling piglet"), oedema (eye), purulent nasal/eye discharge, diphteroid plaque in the mouth/tongue, erythema, initially constipation, then diarrhoea, cramps. The mortality rate varies between 30 % and 100 %.

The chronic form is manifested by loss of appetite, emaciation, frequent alternation of diarrhoea and constipation. The mortality rate is much lower than in the acute form.

The atypical form is mild and protracted; typical symptoms include insatiable diarrhoea, cramping and CNS disorders.

CSF is a notifiable animal disease. The control of CSF is based on
a) the prevention of the introduction and spread of the pathogen and on
b) the culling of infected and suspected infected animals. With the exception of Romania, prophylactic vaccinations are prohibited in all EU member states.

Suitable sample materials are

• Whole blood or blood serum or EDTA blood
• Organs (especially spleen, liver, kidney, lymph nodes, tonsils)

The detection of classical swine fever virus from the above materials is possible using the following methods:

• PCR (serum, EDTA blood, organs)
• Virus isolation (serum, organs)
• ELISA (serum)
• Serum neutralisation test (serum)

In all cases, samples should ideally be sent to the laboratory with the addition of refrigerants and in compliance with the relevant transport regulations (UN3373) by an authorised logistics company