African swine fever: KSU researchers have worked to halt the spread and prevent it from reaching the United States.

The African swine fever virus threatens to devastate the pork industry and is well placed to spread throughout Asia. The virus spread throughout the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe and was reported in China in August. It has recently been detected in wild boar in Belgium.

Researchers at Kansas State University and the Biosecurity Research Institute have launched several projects focused on African swine fever. Their research topics vary, but they share the same goal: to halt the spread of African swine fever and prevent it from reaching the United States.

If African swine fever enters the United States, it could result in economic losses of several billion dollars for pork and other industries, according to animal disease experts. It would devastate international trade and markets.

There is no vaccine or cure for this disease, which causes haemorrhagic fever and high mortality in pigs. It does not infect humans.

African swine fever in Asia: "The tip of the iceberg"

"The introduction of African swine fever in China poses an increased threat to the United States," said Stephen Higgs, director of the Institute for Biosafety Research. "The introduction of the African swine fever virus in the United States would have a huge impact on our agricultural industry. Research, education and training at the Biosafety Research Institute help to improve our understanding and preparation for this threat. "

In 2013, the Biosecurity Research Institute became the first non-federal institution to be approved for the treatment of African swine fever virus, Higgs said. The University's research projects at the Biosafety Research Institute are part of the research that can move to the national bio-defense and agro-defense facility, or NBAF, once it's over. it will be fully operational. African swine fever is one of the diseases to be studied in the NBAF region, currently under construction, near the Manhattan campus at Kansas State University.

Journal of Avian Influenza, Continued Coverage of APP

Kansas State University's African swine fever projects are funded in part by the $ 35 million state-of-the-art National Bioenergy and Agri-Defense Facility of Kansas, and have also received support from the US Department of Homeland Security and the Pork Industry.

Read the Stephen Higgs editorial on African swine fever, recently published in Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases.