Research gap analysis on African swine fever

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Science
• Epidemiology
• Wildlife Management

Background:

• African Swine Fever (ASF) poses a significant threat to pig populations.
• Effective prevention and control strategies require addressing key knowledge gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify critical knowledge gaps in African Swine Fever (ASF) prevention and control.
• To determine research priorities for improving short-term ASF risk management.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted with EU veterinary services and stakeholders in pig production and wild boar management.
• Respondents identified major research needs to enhance ASF risk management.

Main Results:

• Four key knowledge gaps were identified: wild boar dynamics, ASFV survival and transmission, biosecurity measures, and surveillance effectiveness.
• Specific needs include understanding wild boar transmission, ASFV environmental persistence, feed/material contamination, arthropod vectors, domestic-wildlife interfaces, and introduction pathways (food, feed, transport, human movement).
• Improved communication strategies for diverse stakeholders were also highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Addressing these identified knowledge gaps is essential for developing effective ASF control strategies.
• Prioritizing research in wild boar management, virus transmission, biosecurity, and surveillance will strengthen ASF risk management and prevention efforts.