Biomaterial Database

African swine fever. 2009

Mary-Louise Penrith

Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating haemorrhagic fever of pigs that causes up to 100% mortality, for which there is no vaccine. It is caused by a unique DNA virus that is maintained in an ancient cycle between warthogs and argasid ticks, making it the only known DNA arbovirus. ASF has a high potential for transboundary spread, and has twice been transported from Africa to other continents--Europe and subsequently the Caribbean and Brazil (1957, 1959) and the Caucasus (2007). It is also a devastating constraint for pig production in Africa. Research at Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute has made and is making important contributions to knowledge of this disease, focusing on the cycle in warthogs and tampans and transmission from that cycle to domestic pigs, resistance to its effects in domestic pigs, and the molecular genetic characterisation and epidemiology of the virus.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004197	Disease Reservoirs	Animate or inanimate sources which normally harbor disease-causing organisms and thus serve as potential sources of disease outbreaks. Reservoirs are distinguished from vectors (DISEASE VECTORS) and carriers, which are agents of disease transmission rather than continuing sources of potential disease outbreaks. Humans may serve both as disease reservoirs and carriers.	Disease Reservoir,Human Disease Reservoirs,Infectious Disease Reservoir,Reservoirs of Infection,Infectious Disease Reservoirs,Disease Reservoir, Human,Disease Reservoir, Infectious,Disease Reservoirs, Human,Human Disease Reservoir,Infection Reservoir,Infection Reservoirs,Reservoir, Disease,Reservoir, Infectious Disease,Reservoirs, Human Disease
D000357	African Swine Fever	A sometimes fatal ASFIVIRUS infection of pigs, characterized by fever, cough, diarrhea, hemorrhagic lymph nodes, and edema of the gallbladder. It is transmitted between domestic swine by direct contact, ingestion of infected meat, or fomites, or mechanically by biting flies or soft ticks (genus Ornithodoros).	Swine Fever, African,African Swine Fever Virus Infection,Asfivirus Infection,Wart-Hog Disease,Asfivirus Infections,Infection, Asfivirus,Infections, Asfivirus,Wart Hog Disease,Wart-Hog Diseases
D000358	African Swine Fever Virus	The lone species of the genus Asfivirus. It infects domestic and wild pigs, warthogs, and bushpigs. Disease is endemic in domestic swine in many African countries and Sardinia. Soft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros are also infected and act as vectors.	Wart-Hog Disease Virus,Virus, Wart-Hog Disease,Wart Hog Disease Virus
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000829	Animals, Domestic	Animals which have become adapted through breeding in captivity to a life intimately associated with humans. They include animals domesticated by humans to live and breed in a tame condition on farms or ranches for economic reasons, including LIVESTOCK (specifically CATTLE; SHEEP; HORSES; etc.), POULTRY; and those raised or kept for pleasure and companionship, e.g., PETS; or specifically DOGS; CATS; etc.	Farm Animals,Domestic Animals,Domesticated Animals,Animal, Domestic,Animal, Domesticated,Animal, Farm,Animals, Domesticated,Animals, Farm,Domestic Animal,Domesticated Animal,Farm Animal
D000835	Animals, Wild	Animals considered to be wild or feral or not adapted for domestic use. It does not include wild animals in zoos for which ANIMALS, ZOO is available.	Animals, Nondomestic,Animals, Nondomesticated,Animals, Feral,Stray Animals,Animal, Feral,Animal, Nondomestic,Animal, Nondomesticated,Animal, Stray,Animal, Wild,Animals, Stray,Feral Animal,Feral Animals,Nondomestic Animal,Nondomestic Animals,Nondomesticated Animal,Nondomesticated Animals,Stray Animal,Wild Animal,Wild Animals
D001096	Arachnid Vectors	Members of the class Arachnida, especially SPIDERS; SCORPIONS; MITES; and TICKS; which transmit infective organisms from one host to another or from an inanimate reservoir to an animate host.	Arachnid Vector,Vector, Arachnid,Vectors, Arachnid
D013552	Swine	Any of various animals that constitute the family Suidae and comprise stout-bodied, short-legged omnivorous mammals with thick skin, usually covered with coarse bristles, a rather long mobile snout, and small tail. Included are the genera Babyrousa, Phacochoerus (wart hogs), and Sus, the latter containing the domestic pig (see SUS SCROFA).	Phacochoerus,Pigs,Suidae,Warthogs,Wart Hogs,Hog, Wart,Hogs, Wart,Wart Hog
D013983	Tick Control	Chemical, biological, or medical measures designed to prevent the spread of ticks or the concomitant infestations which result in tick-borne diseases. It includes the veterinary as well as the public health aspects of tick and mite control.	Mite Control,Control, Mite,Control, Tick,Controls, Mite
D014765	Viral Vaccines	Suspensions of attenuated or killed viruses administered for the prevention or treatment of infectious viral disease.	Viral Vaccine,Vaccine, Viral,Vaccines, Viral