Longform
Avian, an epidemic that is killing millions of animals
by Davide Michielin
Wild boars in the city and swine fever, what are the risks
The images of wild boars in urban centers have made and cause a sensation, walking undisturbed in the streets, while they eat around the garbage bins, and seem to dominate the streets of the suburbs and the center, even in Rome.
Wild boars in the city
Generally, the presence of wild boars in urban areas is directly related to the availability of food waste and organic waste; although the danger of swine fever does not affect us or our pets, we must keep in mind that the wild boar is a wild animal that could react aggressively if it feels threatened, both towards humans and towards dogs or cats.
Furthermore, the risks of road accidents that can be caused by crossing them should not be underestimated. We remind, among other things, that the foraging of wild boars is expressly prohibited by law 221/2015.
What is African swine fever
What is most worrying is certainly African swine fever, a viral disease that affects pigs and wild boars, unfortunately highly contagious and often lethal for them, but which is not transmissible to humans, nor to dogs and cats, even if, all three , they can represent a passive vector of indirect transmission.
Psa is caused by a virus unable to stimulate the formation of antibodies and this is why there is currently no vaccine available.
Symptoms of affected animals
Infected animals may have: fever, loss of appetite, posterior weakness, difficulty in breathing and oculo-nasal discharge, miscarriages, internal bleeding and on the ears and hips.
The repercussions of the epidemic
The epidemics have serious economic repercussions in the affected countries: the compulsory killing of sick and suspicious animals is foreseen; and the pig production sector suffers because it is forbidden to market and export live pigs and pig products in the affected countries. This is because swine fever can spread both by contact between infected animals and through the bite of vectors such as ticks, both indirectly (through contaminated equipment and clothing that can “carry” the virus), and through the administration of pigs kitchen scraps contaminated by the virus.
Tick alarm. Here’s how to defend against these parasites
by Priscilla Di Thiene
Prevention
In the territories where the virus is not present, it is necessary to carry out a massive prevention through the surveillance of the farms and the wild boar carcasses found. Compliance with the law is fundamental.
* Sara Sechi, veterinary at the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Sassari. Animal Behavior Specialist
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