Molecular contamination of an animal facility during and after African swine fever virus infection
Walczak, Marek (National Veterinary Research Institute. Department of Swine Diseases)
Szymankiewicz, Krzesimir (National Veterinary Research Institute. Department of Swine Diseases)
Rodriguez, Fernando (Unitat mixta d'investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal)
Argilaguet, Jordi 1977- (Unitat mixta d'investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal)
Gavrilov, Boris (Huvepharma. Biologics Development)
Żmudzki, Jacek (National Veterinary Research Institute. Department of Swine Diseases)
Kochanowski, Maciej (National Veterinary Research Institute. Department of Swine Diseases)
Juszkiewicz, Małgorzata (National Veterinary Research Institute. Department of Swine Diseases)
Szczotka-Bochniarz, Anna (National Veterinary Research Institute. Department of Swine Diseases)

Date:	2023
Abstract:	The molecular contamination of an animal facility was investigated during and after an infection with highly pathogenic African swine fever virus (ASFV) among domestic pigs. The investigation evaluated the risk of indirect transmission of the disease and indicated points that may facilitate cleaning and disinfection processes. Six domestic pigs were infected oronasally with the highly pathogenic Georgia 2007 strain. Environmental samples from the floors, walls, rubber floor mats, feeders, drinkers, high-efficiency particulate-absorbing filter covers and doors were collected 7 days post infection (dpi), 7 days later and 24 h after disinfection of the facility. The samples were investigated by real-time PCR and in vitro assays to find genetic traces of ASFV and infectious virus. Typical clinical outcomes for ASF (i. e. fever, apathy, recumbency and bloody diarrhoea) were observed, and all animals died or required euthanasia before or at 9 dpi. No infectious virus was found in environmental samples at the sampling time points. Genetic traces of ASFV were found in all locations except the doors. The initial virus load was calculated using real-time PCR threshold cycle values and was the highest at the drain. A statistically significant decrease of virus load over time was found on non-porous surfaces mechanically cleaned by water (the floor and drain). The gathered data confirmed different routes of virus excretion (oral and nasal, faeces and urine, and aerosol) and showed virus locations and different initial concentrations in the animal facility. Maintaining the facility with mechanical cleaning and using personal protection (gloves) and hand disinfection may efficiently minimise the risk of further virus spread. Together with the results of previously published studies, the present investigations' failure to isolate infectious virus may suggest that if stable environmental conditions are assured, the time needed before the introduction of new herds into previously ASF-affected farm facilities could be shortened and in this way the economic losses caused by the disease outbreak mitigated.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	African swine fever ; Pigsty ; Indirect transmission ; Persistence ; Risk
Published in:	Journal of Veterinary Research, Vol. 67 (december 2023) , p. 503-508, ISSN 2450-8608

DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0065
PMID: 38130453

6 p, 455.3 KB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA-IRTA)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles