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Yomiuri ShimbunIt is difficult to contain a virus once it spreads. However, the spread of viral infections must be contained.
Swine fever, also known as swine cholera, has erupted sporadically since last September in Gifu prefecture and has spread to Aichi, Osaka, Shiga and Nagano prefectures. .
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has sent experts and officials to Gifu Prefecture as a precautionary measure, without stopping the spread of the infection. The devices for the prevention of outbreaks against swine fever should be rapidly reorganized.
The swine fever virus does not infect humans, but if the pigs are infected with the virus, they develop fever and other symptoms and eventually die in some cases. Its contagiousness is strong too. It is necessary to pay particular attention to precautionary measures, such as the in-depth disinfection of people entering and leaving pig farms, and the non-use of raw foods, which pose a high risk of infection.
Caution should also be used to prevent boar infection. In Gifu Prefecture, more than 100 boars were confirmed. It is essential to take measures to prevent the circulation of boars, including the installation of fences.
Measures to deal with harmful rumors are also essential. The consumption of infected pigs will not affect human health. Even so, infected pork will never be marketed. Consumers should react calmly.
A pigsty in the Aichi Prefecture would be at the origin of the spread of swine fever in large areas. Piglets born on this farm were infected with swine fever virus and the infection spread to farms where the infected piglets had been shipped. The virus would be the same as that found in infected pigs in Gifu prefecture. It is imperative to identify the route of infection and use the results to develop countermeasures.
Warning against ASF
Abnormal conditions were observed in piglets prior to shipment. However, officials responsible for the prevention of outbreaks in the farm in question and the government of Aichi Prefecture did not recognize that piglets had developed symptoms of swine fever. It must be said that they lacked sense of urgency. The central government should re-emphasize the importance of preventive measures.
Swine fever erupted for the first time in Japan in 1887. Epidemics broke out later, but the measures taken by the industry proved to be effective enough to prevent any epidemic from 1993 onwards. 2007 that the country had become free of swine fever.
Taking advantage of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union that came into effect this month, the government wants to expand exports of pork and other products concerned. Being a disease-free country is a prerequisite for holding trade negotiations. It is feared that the current swine fever epidemic will have a negative impact on exports of hogs raised in Japan, which are very popular in Asia.
Vaccination is an effective way of stopping the spread of infection, but there is concern that asymptomatic infections will continue. The procedures for Japan to be recognized again as an infection-free country will be extended. First and foremost, it is essential to make every effort to limit the spread of infection in its initial stages.
African swine fever (ASF), which is prevalent in China and elsewhere, should also be cautioned. The pathogen of APP is different from that of swine fever that erupted in Japan this time. No effective vaccine is available. If ASF spreads in Japan, it will be a blow.
The infectivity of APP would be higher than that of swine fever currently afflicting Japan. The PPA virus does not die easily and there are cases in which it has survived in raw ham for 10 months. It is imperative to draw attention to ASF and take all possible quarantine measures to prevent tourists from introducing it to Japan.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, February 9, 2019) Speech
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