Phylogeographic patterns of the African swine fever virus

The emergence of novel avian influenza A viruses is frequently reported in this journal, 1,2 while other emergent diseases, e.g., African swine fever (ASF), which also cause great losses in recent years. African swine fever is caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). ASFV is the only member of the Asfarviridae family, and the genus Asfivirus.3 Infections of swine with ASFV show high morbidity and mortality (up to 100%). At present, there is no effective vaccine to prevent ASF and thus it is a great threat to global pig production.  Since its first described in Kenya in the 1920s, ASF has been recorded in most sub-Saharan African countries, and has spread outside Africa to Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France) in the 1950s, although it was subsequently eradicated from those countries.
Source: Journal of Infection - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research