BAGUIO CITY – Some ninety-four barangays in the different parts of the Cordillera are affected by the onslaught of the dreaded African Swine Fever (ASF) that have significantly affected the region’s hog population over the past several months.
Data from the Cordillera office of the Department of Agriculture (DA-CAR) livestock division showed that from January to October this year, Abra had the most number of ASF-affected barangays with 44 followed by Kalinga with 17, Apayao – 15, Ifugao – 14, Benguet – 3 and Mountain Province – 1.
Concerned agriculture officials claimed that there was a sudden increase in ASF cases around the region during the third quarter of the year that prompted the DA and local governments to aggressively implement existing bio-security measures to prevent the possible outbreak of the animal disease that might heavily impact the livestock business.
Previously, Abra had the least number of reported ASF cases compared to the other provinces in the region following the stringent implementation of biosecurity measures.
However, one of the reasons for the sudden increase in ASF cases in the region is the alleged failure of hog raisers to strictly comply with the biosecurity measures that are being enforced to abate the outbreak of the animal virus in the communities.
In January, there were seven ASF cases in the region, three cases in February, one case in March, six cases in April, seven cases in May and two cases in June.
ASF cases suddenly increased in July with 31 or a 520 percent increase, increasing to 40 cases in August, and peaked in September with 70 cases before dropping to 31 cases in October.
The DA-Car reiterated its previous advisories for hog raisers to strictly adhere to the enforcement of biosecurity measures considering the absence of the appropriate treatment of the animal disease.
Moreover, the available vaccine against ASF is still on its trial period and undergoing the so-called controlled release that is why it is incumbent upon hog raisers to ensure their compliance to the biosecurity measures to prevent future surges in cases that might heavily impact on the state of the region’s hog industry.
ASF causes a hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates in domestic pigs; some isolates can cause death of animals as quickly as a week after infection. It persistently infects its natural hosts, warthogs, bush pigs, and soft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros, which likely act as a vector, with no disease signs. It does not cause disease in humans. ASFV is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and exists in the wild through a cycle of infection between ticks and wild pigs, bushpigs, and warthogs.
In the acute form of the disease caused by highly virulent strains, pigs may develop a high fever, but show no other noticeable symptoms for the first few days. They then gradually lose their appetites and become depressed. In white-skinned pigs, the extremities turn blueish-purple and hemorrhages become apparent on the ears and abdomen. Groups of infected pigs lie huddled together shivering, breathing abnormally, and sometimes coughing.
In milder infections, affected pigs lose weight, become thin, and develop signs of pneumonia, skin ulcers, and swollen joints. By Dexter A. See
