Abstract:
There is presently no vaccine to combat African swine fever (ASF), a viral hemorrhagic fever of
domestic pigs that causes up to 100% morbidity and mortality in naive, commercial pig populations. In its
endemic setting, ASF virus cycles between asymptomatic warthogs and soft ticks, with persistence in exotic
locations being ascribed to the almost global distribution of susceptible soft tick and suid hosts. An understanding
of the role played by diverse hosts in the epidemiology of this multi-host disease is crucial for effective
disease control. Unlike the intensively studied Ornithodoros tick vector, the role of many wild suids remains
obscure, despite growing recognition for suid-exclusive virus cycling, without the agency of the argasid tick, at
some localities. Because the four wild suid genera, Phacochoerus, Potamochoerus, Hylochoerus, and Sus differ
from each other in taxonomy, distribution, ecology, reservoir host potential, virus shedding, ASF symptomology,
and domestic-pig contact potential, their role in disease epidemiology is also varied. This first consolidated
summary of ASF epidemiology in relation to wild suids summarizes current knowledge and identifies
information gaps and future research priorities crucial for formulating effective disease control strategies.