AFRICAN SWINE FEVER CIRCULATION AMONG FREE-RANGING PIGS IN SARDINIA: DATA FROM THE ERADICATION PROGRAM
Authors Franzoni G, Dei Giudici S, Loi F, Sanna D, Fiori M, Sanna M L, Madrau P, Floris M, Scarpa F, Zinellu S, Giammarioli M, Cappai S, De Mia G M, Laddomada A, Rolesu S, Oggiano A
Abstract African swine fever virus (ASFV), the cause of a devastating disease affecting domestic and wild pigs, has been present in Sardinia since 1978. In the framework of the regional ASF eradication plan, 4484 illegal pigs were culled between December 2017 and February 2020. The highest disease prevalence was observed in the municipality with the highest free-ranging pig density, and culling actions drastically reduced ASFV circulation among these animals. ASFV-antibody were detected in 36.7% of tested animals, which were apparently healthy, thus, the circulation of low-virulence ASFV isolates was hypothesized. ASFV genome was detected in 53 out of 2726 tested animals, and virus isolation was achieved in two distinct culling actions. Two ASFV haemadsorbing strains were isolated from antibody-positive apparently healthy pigs: 55234/18 and 103917/18. Typing analysis revealed that both isolates belong to p72 genotype I, B602L subgroup X; phylogenetic analysis based on whole genome sequencing data showed that they were closely related to Sardinian ASFV strains collected since 2010, especially 22653/Ca/2014. Our data suggested the absence of immune-escaped ASFV variants circulating among free-ranging pigs, indicating that other elements contributed to virus circulation among these animals. Understanding factors behind disease persistence in endemic settings might contribute to developing effective countermeasures against this disease.
Publish Date 2020
Volume 8 (3) [special Issue "African Swine Fever Virus Prevention and Control"]
ISSN 2076-393X
DOI doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8030549
URL https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/3/549
Journal Vaccines
Pages art. n. 549
PMID 32967098