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Coradduzza E, Loi F, Porcu F, Mandas D, Secci F, Pisanu ME, Pasini C, Zuddas C, Cherchi M, Denurra D, Bandino E, Pintore A, Guberti V, Cappai S. Passive Surveillance as a Key Tool for African Swine Fever Eradication in Wild Boar: A Protocol to Find Carcasses Tested and Validated in the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia. Viruses 2024; 16:136. [PMID: 38257836 PMCID: PMC10820949 DOI: 10.3390/v16010136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most important and serious contagious hemorrhagic viral diseases affecting domestic pigs and wild boar and is associated with high mortality rates while also having an extensive sanitary and socioeconomic impact on the international trade of animal and swine products. The early detection of the disease is often hampered by inadequate surveillance. Among the surveillance strategies used, passive surveillance of wild boars is considered the most effective method for controlling the African swine fever virus (ASFV). Otherwise, the design of a sufficiently sensitive ASF surveillance system requires a solid understanding of the epidemiology related to the local eco-social context, especially in the absence of virus detection. Even if the number of carcasses needed to demonstrate ASF eradication has been established, the scientific context lacks detail compared to protocols applied in the active search for wild boar carcasses. The aim of this study was to describe the protocol applied in the active search for carcasses, providing detailed information on the number of people and dogs as well as the amount of time and space used within the Mediterranean area. Using a specific tool developed to record, trace, and share field data (the GAIA observer app), a total of 33 active searches for wild boar carcasses were organized during 2021-2023. Most of these searches were planned to find carcasses that had previously been reported by hunters. A total of 24 carcasses were found, with only 2 carcasses not previously reported. The final protocol applied involved four people, with an average speed of 1.5 km/h. When a carcass had been previously reported, about 2 km of distance had to be covered in about 1.5 h to find the carcass, and even less time was spent when a dog (untrained) was present. In conclusion, it can be stated that, when searching for carcasses, solid collaboration with local hunters or other forest visitors is necessary to ensure carcasses are reported. The process involves small groups of experts actively searching for carcasses, possibly with the use of hunting dogs without special training. The data presented could be of valid support for those countries characterized by Mediterranean vegetation that are faced with the need to plan active carcass searches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Coradduzza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.C.); (M.C.); (D.D.); (E.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Federica Loi
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy; (F.P.); (D.M.); (C.P.); (C.Z.); (S.C.)
| | - Francesca Porcu
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy; (F.P.); (D.M.); (C.P.); (C.Z.); (S.C.)
| | - Daniela Mandas
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy; (F.P.); (D.M.); (C.P.); (C.Z.); (S.C.)
| | - Fabio Secci
- Local Sanitary Agency of Sulcis Iglesiente, 09013 Carbonia, Italy;
| | | | - Cinzia Pasini
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy; (F.P.); (D.M.); (C.P.); (C.Z.); (S.C.)
| | - Carlo Zuddas
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy; (F.P.); (D.M.); (C.P.); (C.Z.); (S.C.)
| | - Marcella Cherchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.C.); (M.C.); (D.D.); (E.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Daniele Denurra
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.C.); (M.C.); (D.D.); (E.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Ennio Bandino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.C.); (M.C.); (D.D.); (E.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Antonio Pintore
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.C.); (M.C.); (D.D.); (E.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Vittorio Guberti
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Roma, Italy;
| | - Stefano Cappai
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy; (F.P.); (D.M.); (C.P.); (C.Z.); (S.C.)
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Dei Giudici S, Loi F, Ghisu S, Angioi PP, Zinellu S, Fiori MS, Carusillo F, Brundu D, Franzoni G, Zidda GM, Tolu P, Bandino E, Cappai S, Oggiano A. The Long-Jumping of African Swine Fever: First Genotype II Notified in Sardinia, Italy. Viruses 2023; 16:32. [PMID: 38257733 PMCID: PMC10820622 DOI: 10.3390/v16010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating infectious disease of domestic pigs and wild boar that is spreading quickly around the world and causing huge economic losses. Although the development of effective vaccines is currently being attempted by several labs, the absence of globally recognized licensed vaccines makes disease prevention and early detection even more crucial. ASF has spread across many countries in Europe and about two years ago affected the Italian susceptible population. In Italy, the first case of ASF genotype II in wild boar dates back to January 2022, while the first outbreak in a domestic pig farm was notified in August 2023. Currently, four clusters of infection are still ongoing in northern (Piedmont-Liguria and Lombardy), central (Lazio), and southern Italy (Calabria and Campania). In early September 2023, the first case of ASFV genotype II was detected in a domestic pig farm in Sardinia, historically affected by genotype I and in the final stage of eradication. Genomic characterization of p72, p54, and I73R/I329L genome regions revealed 100% similarity to those obtained from isolates that have been circulating in mainland Italy since January 2022 and also with international strains. The outbreak was detected and confirmed due to the passive surveillance plan on domestic pig farms put in place to provide evidence on genotype I's absence. Epidemiological investigations suggest 24 August as the most probable time of ASFV genotype II's arrival in Sardinia, likely due to human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Dei Giudici
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Federica Loi
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale della Sardegna, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Sonia Ghisu
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Pier Paolo Angioi
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Susanna Zinellu
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Mariangela Stefania Fiori
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Francesca Carusillo
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Diego Brundu
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Giulia Franzoni
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | | | - Paolo Tolu
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (G.M.Z.); (P.T.)
| | - Ennio Bandino
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Stefano Cappai
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale della Sardegna, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Annalisa Oggiano
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
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Pavone S, Iscaro C, Dettori A, Feliziani F. African Swine Fever: The State of the Art in Italy. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2998. [PMID: 37835604 PMCID: PMC10571570 DOI: 10.3390/ani13192998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is a severe viral disease of domestic pigs and Eurasian wild boars (Sus scrofa) caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). ASF is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, where 24 genotypes of the virus have been reported. Between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, genotype I ASFV emerged in Europe, including Italy. In June 2007, a second ASF epidemic wave caused by genotype II was registered, involving several European and extra-European countries, including Italy in 2022. The present paper aims to provide the state of the art of ASF in Italy, describing the course of ASF in wild boars and domestic pigs as an example of multiple concurring different scenarios. Sardinia is coping with the last phase of the eradication of the disease by applying the exit strategy. Conversely, four clusters of infection located in North, Central, and South Italy are still ongoing. The unique and complex Italian experience in ASF-controlling may be useful to increase know-how on the efficacy of strategies and measures, as well as issues that could be further improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pavone
- National Reference Laboratory for Pestivirus and Asfivirus, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.I.); (F.F.)
| | - Carmen Iscaro
- National Reference Laboratory for Pestivirus and Asfivirus, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.I.); (F.F.)
| | - Annalisa Dettori
- Regional Veterinary Epidemiology Observatory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Francesco Feliziani
- National Reference Laboratory for Pestivirus and Asfivirus, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (C.I.); (F.F.)
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Ambagala A, Goonewardene K, Lamboo L, Goolia M, Erdelyan C, Fisher M, Handel K, Lung O, Blome S, King J, Forth JH, Calvelage S, Spinard E, Gladue DP, Masembe C, Adedeji AJ, Olubade T, Maurice NA, Ularamu HG, Luka PD. Characterization of a Novel African Swine Fever Virus p72 Genotype II from Nigeria. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040915. [PMID: 37112895 PMCID: PMC10146018 DOI: 10.3390/v15040915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is a high-consequence transboundary hemorrhagic fever of swine. It continues to spread across the globe causing socio-economic issues and threatening food security and biodiversity. In 2020, Nigeria reported a major ASF outbreak, killing close to half a million pigs. Based on the partial sequences of the genes B646L (p72) and E183L (p54), the virus responsible for the outbreak was identified as an African swine fever virus (ASFV) p72 genotype II. Here, we report further characterization of ASFV RV502, one of the isolates obtained during the outbreak. The whole genome sequence of this virus revealed a deletion of 6535 bp between the nucleotide positions 11,760–18,295 of the genome, and an apparent reverse complement duplication of the 5′ end of the genome at the 3′ end. Phylogenetically, ASFV RV502 clustered together with ASFV MAL/19/Karonga and ASFV Tanzania/Rukwa/2017/1 suggesting that the virus responsible for the 2020 outbreak in Nigeria has a South-eastern African origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aruna Ambagala
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Kalhari Goonewardene
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
| | - Lindsey Lamboo
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
| | - Melissa Goolia
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
| | - Cassidy Erdelyan
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
| | - Mathew Fisher
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
| | - Katherine Handel
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
| | - Oliver Lung
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
| | - Sandra Blome
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jacqueline King
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jan Hendrik Forth
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sten Calvelage
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Edward Spinard
- Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Greenport, NY 11944, USA
| | - Douglas P. Gladue
- Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Greenport, NY 11944, USA
| | - Charles Masembe
- College of Natural Resources (CoNAS), Makerere University, Kampala P.O Box 7062, Uganda
| | | | - Toyin Olubade
- National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Pam D. Luka
- National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Nigeria
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A Naturally Occurring Microhomology-Mediated Deletion of Three Genes in African Swine Fever Virus Isolated from Two Sardinian Wild Boars. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112524. [PMID: 36423133 PMCID: PMC9693351 DOI: 10.3390/v14112524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the etiological agent of a lethal disease of domestic pigs and wild boars. ASF threatens the pig industry worldwide due to the lack of a licensed vaccine or treatment. The disease has been endemic for more than 40 years in Sardinia (Italy), but an intense campaign pushed it close to eradication; virus circulation was last detected in wild boars in 2019. In this study, we present a genomic analysis of two ASFV strains isolated in Sardinia from two wild boars during the 2019 hunting season. Both isolates presented a deletion of 4342 base pairs near the 5' end of the genome, encompassing the genes MGF 360-6L, X69R, and MGF 300-1L. The phylogenetic evidence suggests that the deletion recently originated within the Sardinia ecosystem and that it is most likely the result of a non-allelic homologous recombination driven by a microhomology present in most Sardinian ASFV genomes. These results represent a striking example of a genomic feature promoting the rapid evolution of structural variations and plasticity in the ASFV genome. They also raise interesting questions about the functions of the deleted genes and the potential link between the evolutionary timing of the deletion appearance and the eradication campaign.
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