African swine fever threatens the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean, causing severe economic losses and undermining food security.

Through an informational and educational campaign, the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aim to improve biosecurity conditions on farms, reducing the risk of the introduction and spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), a latent threat to production systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

ASF is a viral, hemorrhagic, and highly contagious disease that affects domestic and wild pigs, warty hogs, European wild boars, and American wild boars. Although it does not pose a risk to human health, ASF currently represents the most serious threat to the pig industry on the continent and worldwide.

Its rapid spread, high mortality rate, and the lack of a vaccine threaten the livelihoods of those who depend on the pork industry and, consequently, their food security, with a significant impact on local and national economies.

 Symptoms that pigs infected with ASF may exhibit:

 Among the most noticeable symptoms—although many are also symptoms of classical swine fever—are: high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs, vomiting, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and sudden death.

Sows in the herd may also exhibit symptoms such as blue discoloration of the skin, seizures, and a significant loss of appetite. Finally, they may give birth to mummified or very weak piglets with congenital tremors, or the piglets may be stillborn.

Sincethere iscurrentlyno vaccine or treatmentfor ASF, being vigilant for these symptoms and maintaining hygiene in breeding facilities are the main recommendations for preventing the introduction of ASF. And although no cases of this disease have been reported in Colombia, it is important to bear in mind that the country shares borders with several countries in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean; therefore, it is necessary to implement the necessary controls to prevent the arrival of ASF from other parts of the region.