Pork with African Swine Fever hits Russian market

//05 Oct 2012
A consignment of bacon from a fair held late September in the Leningrad Oblast was found to be infected with the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus.
This was stated by a specialist at the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor).

“During laboratory studies the genome of the ASF virus was detected in salted bacon produced by Lipetsk JSC Meat Master, traded by the individual entrepreneur Shchigrov at the Agricultural Fair, held in September, 28-29 of 2012 in Tosno, Leningrad region,” report Rosselkhoznadzor.

Rosselkhoznadzor asked consumers not to feed the products purchased from this vendor to animals without prior heat treatment, cautioning as well not to throw away the wastes without disinfection.

In order to prevent the introduction of ASF virus, owners of the private pig farms in the region should invite experts of the State Veterinary Service to examine their animals. Farmers are also advised to avoid exposing their pigs to contact other animals including people, which may be sources of infection, and to disinfect the places where pigs are kept, as well as storage facilities, processing facilities, equipment and working clothes.

First confirmed case
It is the first officially confirmed case of ASF-contaminated pork slipping through to the shops for the whole period of reported spread of the disease in Russia. The case is quite unusual given that virus was officially confirmed registered in the Leningrad region a year ago. Most likely, the infected meat was imported to the fair from other regions of Russia, experts said.

Rosselkhoznadzor experts also pointed out that the virus is not dangerous to humans, even after eating infected meat there will be no negative effect on the health of people. But still consumers who purchased the meat at the fair are strongly recommended not to consume it themselves.

Related website:
• Rosselkhoznadzor