Pathological and molecular diagnosis of the 2013 African swine fever outbreak in Lusaka, Zambia

John Yabe
Pharaoh Hamambulu
Edgar Simulundu
Hirohito Ogawa
Masahiro Kajihara
Akina Mori-Kajihara
Katendi Changula-Chitanga
Max Mwase
Mutinta Mweemba-Muwowo
Herman Moses Chambaro
Liywalii Mataa
Bernard Hang'ombe
Bonniface Namangala
Paul Fandamu
Hirofumi Sawa
Ayato Takada
Hideaki Higashi
Aaron Simanyengwe Mweene

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and fatal hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic pigs. The disease is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and has repeatedly been introduced into other continents. The current study describes the diagnostic investigations of a hemorrhagic disease that was reported in pigs in Lusaka (October 2013), Zambia. Necropsy, histopathology, and molecular diagnosis using polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis confirmed the disease to be ASF. The sequences obtained showed high similarity to previously isolated ASF viruses. Consistent surveillance and rapid diagnosis of the disease is recommended to prevent future outbreaks and economic losses as there is currently no vaccine against the disease.

TROPICAL ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION

SPRINGER

47

2

459

463

10.1007/s11250-014-0732-0

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0732-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25535151
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