The EU Reference Laboratory for African Swine Fever (Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA/CSIC, Spain) has confirmed the first cases of African swine fever detected in Finland by the Finnish Food Authority.
The Finnish Food Authority’s Animal Disease Virology Laboratory has sequenced the complete genome of the African swine fever virus detected in samples from wild boars found dead in Virolahti. Sequence analyses show that the virus belongs to genotype II and, more specifically, to genetic group 3. The analysis is based on six variable regions of the genome (CVR, IGR, O174L, K145R, MGF and ECO2).
Genetic group 3 was first reported in Ukraine in 2012. Since 2014, it has been detected annually in the Baltic countries, and cases have also been reported in, among others, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Belgium, Italy and Russia.
Based on the genetic analysis of the virus, it is not possible to determine the route by which the virus entered the country.
Further information:
Ari Kauppinen
Senior researcher
Animal Health Research Unit
Tel. +358 50 301 3750
ari.kauppinen@ruokavirasto.fi
Riikka Holopainen
Head of Unit
Animal Health Research Unit
Tel. +358 50 439 3974
riikka.holopainen@ruokavirasto.fi