Abstract:
African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most threatening diseases for the pig farming
sector worldwide. Prevention, control and eradication remain a challenge, especially in
the absence of an effective vaccine or cure and despite the relatively low contagiousness
of this pathogen in contrast to Classical Swine Fever or Foot and Mouth disease, for
example. Usually lethal in pigs and wild boar, this viral transboundary animal disease
has the potential to significantly disrupt global trade and threaten food security. This
paper outlines the importance of a disease-specific legal framework, based on the latest
scientific evidence in order to improve ASF control. It compares the legal basis for ASF
control in a number of pig-producing regions globally, considering diverse production
systems, taking into account current scientific evidence in relation to ASF spread and
control. We argue that blanket policies that do not take into account disease-relevant
characteristics of a biological agent, nor the specifics under which the host species are
kept, can hamper disease control efforts and may prove disproportionate.
