Virus Research 173 (2013) 198–203 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Virus Research journa l h o me pag e: www.elsevier.com/locate/virusres Review African swine fever in the North Caucasus region and the Russian Federation in years 2007–2012 A. Gogin * , V. Gerasimov, A. Malogolovkin, D. Kolbasov State Research Institution National Research Institute for Veterinary Virology and Microbiology of Russia of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Science (SRI NRIVVaMR of the RAAS), 601120 Pokrov, Petushki District, Vladimir Region, Russian Federation a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Available online 22 December 2012 Keywords: African swine fever Russian Federation Wild boar Domestic pig Epidemiology a b s t r a c t Since the introduction of the virus into the Republic of Georgia in 2007 African swine fever (ASF) has become a large-scale epidemic involving the domestic pig population but wild boars are involved as well. From 2008 to 2009 the ASF epidemic affected wild and domestic pigs in all the southern regions of the Russian Federation (RF). The driving force of the epidemic in its initial stages was direct contact between infected wild boars and between wild boars and traditionally free-ranging domestic pigs in backyard farms. Driving forces of the epidemic at the its first stages was direct contact of infected wild boars between each other and with traditionally free ranged domestic pigs in backyard farms. The next stage developed due to illegal movement of pig products contaminated by African swine fever virus (ASFV) from affected regions and swill feeding, and inefficient implementation of measures to prevent and control ASF. From 2010 through 2012, ASF spread to other, previously unaffected regions of the RF. Most of outbreaks in the southern regions (Krasnodar, Stavropol, Rostov regions) are secondary. Currently, the disease situation observed in endemic areas of the RF, including the southern Krasnodar and Volgograd regions and the central Tver’ region, is very complicated. In 2012, a large number of outbreaks in domestic pigs and in wild boars were reported. The circulating ASFV is highly virulent and has maintained its virulence throughout the epidemic since its introduction in 2007. Considering the forces currently driving the ASF epidemic – circulation of ASF virus in wild boars, inef- fectiveness of prevention and control measures, lack of common interest in eradicating the disease and absence of a nationally funded eradication program – continued outbreaks, including those in previously unaffected regions of the RF, can be expected. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 2. ASF introduction into the North-Caucasian countries and the Russian Federation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 3. The evolution of a large-scale epidemic of ASF in the Russian Federation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 4. Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Conflict of interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Acknowledgement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 1. Introduction African swine fever (ASF) is among the most important swine diseases given its significant sanitary and socioeconomic * Corresponding author. E-mail address: agogyn@mail.ru (A. Gogin). consequences. The ASF virus (ASFV) causes immune suppression and very high mortality rates in susceptible domestic swine, so that the effect of disease outbreaks is severe. Pigs become infected mainly through the oro-nasal route after contact with infected pigs or after feeding on virus-containing pork or other contaminated products (swill and garbage waste). Sta- bility of the ASFV virion in a protein environment exacerbates disease spread, and high levels of environmental contamination 0168-1702/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2012.12.007