ASF Uganda-project progress update and implications thereof

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitetwww.slu.se

ASFUganda-project progress update and implications thereof

Nairobi, July 20th 2011Karl Ståhl

[email protected]


Institutions involved

ASFUganda is a research consortium financed by Sweden (SLU, Sida, FORMAS) and composed by scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), MAAIF, Makerere University, UWA and ILRI.


Research objective:

To provide an in-depth assessment of the impact of African swine fever (ASF) in constraining the development of the smallholder pig industry in Uganda.

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Georgia. This incursion has serious consequences for Georgia and potentially surrounding countries. An increase in mortality amongst domestic pigs was observed in disease outbreaks in April but attempts to diagnose the cause were inconclusive.On 2nd June samples from affected pigs were received by the Institute for Animal Healthﾕs Pirbright Laboratory. By the following day the Instituteﾕs scientists had identified the presence of African swine fever viru ﾒOur genetic fingerprinting indicates that the source of the infection is the eastern side of southern Africa, rather than west or central Africa or Sardinia.ﾓ The United Nationsﾕ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has suggested that the virus probably entered Georgia through imported frozen or processed pig meat. In some previous outbreaks elsewhere swill feeding has been incriminated as a source of infection.


Uganda

APAC

OYAM

AMURUGULU

PADER

AMURIA

KATAKWI

SOROTI

KIBAALE

KASESE

KANUNGU RAKAI

KABULA MUKONOWAKISO

KAMPALAMUBENDE

KIBOGA

NAKASEKE

NAKASONGOLA

KAMULI

TORORO

SIRONKO

LUW

EERO

IGANGAJINJA

PALLISABUTALEJA

MPIGI

MITYAN

A

KALI R

O

100 0 100 200 Kilometers

DistrictsASF distribution

Key

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Få sjukdomar hos djur är så fruktade världen över som den afrikanska svinpesten. I sin ursprungliga form är den en höggradigt smittsam, septikemisk viros som uteslutande drabbar svin. Sjukdomen beskrevs första gången 1921 som en perakut till akut förlöpande sjukdom, karakteriserad av blödningar och en mortalitet nära 100 %. Virulence of isolates varies from high (100% mortality in 7-10 days after exposure) to low virulence (only seroconversion occurs). ASF affects domestic pigs and wild pigs, including the warthog, bush pig, and giant forest hog in Africa and the feral pig in Europe. Sjukdomen är mycket viktig som differentialdiagnos till klassisk svinpest, eftersom man inte kliniskt kan skilja dem åt.


ASF Epidemiology

• Reservoir in soft ticks – Survival > three years recorded

• Asymptomatic infection in warthogs and bushpigs

• Two main mechanisms of transmission– Sylvatic: Ticks fed on warthogs to

domestic pigs• Current quantitative importance

unclear???• The role of the bushpig???

– Domestic pig to pig cycle• particularly in urban & peri-urban

areas???• perhaps the most important mode of

transmission-currently????• Where is the reservoir???


Field activities

• A longitudinal syrvey of ASF in domestic pigs in Masaka and Rakai districts

• Outbreak investigations, including repetitive sampling in herds with ongoing outbreaks

• A study on the role of wild pigs (with focus on bushpigs) in the epidemiology of ASF

• A study on virus diversity in the different hosts• A study on ASF based on abattoir sampling. The pork

abattoir in Kampala receives pigs from all districts of the country- snap-shot of the national situation

Presenter

Presentation Notes

A sero-survey of ASF in Kamuli and Kaliro districts, based on the screening of historical serum samples A study on ASF based on abattoir sampling. The pork abattoir in Kampala receives pigs from all (or most) districts of the country. This makes it a suitable and convenient target for nation-wide disease surveillance. In addition the study will test the suitability of abattoir sampling as an early-warning instrument. A longitudinal study of ASF in domestic pigs in selected districts. This study will give valuable information on the dynamics and impact of ASF in the selected districts, as well as information on which factors (e.g. herd, management, and spatial factors) affect disease prevalence and outcome. Farmer awareness will also be studied. In this component we also intend to follow the dynamics of individual outbreaks through repetitive sampling. A study on the evolution of ASFV in a limited and isolated geographical area. In the Victoria Lake, two of the larger islands of Mukono district, Koome and Buvuma, harbour populations of domestic pigs interfacing populations of wild pigs (warthogs and bush pigs) which have been isolated from the mainland for years, and yet ASF is reported to be present in them. This study is expected to give novel insights into the dynamics of the disease and into the evolution of the virus under the very specific circumstances that prevail on these islands. ASF in wildlife. This component will focus on ASF in warthogs, bush pigs and ticks and will depend on very close cooperation with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Sampling of wildlife is costly and demanding, and this component of the study might therefore be excluded, depending on availability of funds and time after the half-time review of the project


= point interventions done so far


Training activities

• One PhD student at Vet faculty, Makerere, as part of bilateral Sida funded Makerere- SLU collaboration (2010-2014)

• Two MSc students at Makerere (2010-2011)• Transfer of knowledge on pig disease surveillance and

project implementation to MAAIF field staff• Three short term field studies by Swedish vet students

(September-November 2010)• Three short term field studies by Swedish vet students

(September-November 2011)

Presenter

Presentation Notes



Laboratory activitiesBasic laboratory diagnostic capacity for ASF has been established at the Molecular Biology Laboratory at Makerere University, and the ambition is to transfer this capacity also to the laboratory at the NADDEC in Entebbe. In the lab all samples are tested by ELISA and RT-PCR. Results can be produced within 24-48 hours

Presenter

Presentation Notes



Longitudinal study Masaka & Rakai

Research Implementation

• Preliminary Household data collectionPig production data was collected and analyzed to start off the field research activities.

• Training of TrainersThirteen (13) Veterinary staff will train as Trainers to implement the research study

Presenter

Presentation Notes




Research Implementation

• Preliminary Household data collectionPig production data was collected and analyzed to start off the field research activities.

• Training of TrainersThirteen (13) Veterinary staff trained to implement the research study at Kamuzinda farm on June 10th

•

Presenter

Presentation Notes



Longitudinal study Masaka & RakaiField activities

• A questionnaire study with the participating farmers/stakeholders • Serological surveillance of 30 pigs per sub-county. This is the key activity in the project. The 30 pig sample frame is derived as follows; (2 pig farms per village each availing 3 pigs for the study x 5 villages per sub-county = 30 pigs), over-all 30 x(16+8) = 720 pigs. This activity will be repeated x 2-3 during the duration of the project•Participating farmers will receive benefits of having their pigs given two rounds of ivermectin and management skills advisory services

Presenter

Presentation Notes



•Field activities June-July and Sept-Oct16 sub-counties in Masaka & 8 in Rakai, 240 pig farmers visited, data collection through questionnaires, pigs sampled



•ResultsIn a number of farms we detect ASFV nucleic acids in pigs without recent history of the disease (and in most cases without an antibody response), possibly indicating that apparently healthy domestic pigs may be reservoirs of the virus. Second sampling round just finalized- analysis pending.



Distribution of positive farms


Outbreak investigations ISince May 2010, >25 outbreaks have been investigated and in all but 3 we have been able to confirm ASF. Results are produced within 24- 48 hours after samples have been delivered to the laboratory, facilitating an early response in case of future outbreaks. As an added value, a number of field staff at the respective DVO offices has been exposed to disease investigation procedures.

•Bundibugyo-May•Moyo- June•Lira- Aug•Gulu- Aug, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan•Mityana- Oct, Jan, June•Mpigi- Nov•Soroti- Dec•Kalangala- Jan•Kampala, Wakiso- Jan, July•Kyanamukaka-Feb•Bukakata- Feb•Masindi –March•Busia- March


Outbreak investigations IIA number of outbreaks have been followed over time with detailed data collection and repetitive samplings, to understand issues such as impact, mortality rates and importance of virus carriers.

Pig No PCR Aug 30th PCR Sept 28th PCR Oct 21st

1 POS POS NEG

2 NEG POS POS

3 POS NEG POS


Outbreak investigations III

Monday, January 7th, 2011

http://www.weinformers.net/

We found a spatial relation between ASFV PCR positive healthy pigs detected during investigations in July 2010, and herds with mortality during a recent outbreak in Kyanamukaka. However, it´s very difficult to show that the ASFV positive pig wasrelated to the outbreak.


Outbreak investigations IV


Outbreak investigations V


Wildlife activities- Bushpigs

Bushpigs are often blamed for spreading ASF to domestic pigs, however the evidence for this is so far scarce. To understand the extent of interaction with domestic pigs and the possibility of spread of ASF we have initiated a study on bushpigs at the wildlife-domestic pig interface

Presenter

Presentation Notes



Shrek-the bushpig in the swamp

The most recent successful intervention was carried out with help of local hunters in the swampy areas of Katonga basin in Lwabenge

Presenter

Presentation Notes




One bushpig captured, blood sampled and provided with a GPS equipped tracking unit

Presenter

Presentation Notes




Unit sends GPS positions through GSM every 3 hours, and movements can be monitored online

Presenter

Presentation Notes



Viral diversity

In order to better understand relations between virus properties and clinical outcome, as well as relations between outbreaks- to trace transmission routes- a study of viral diversity of viruses detected during the project was initiated supported by the BecA hub-CSIRO partnership. So far parts of the genomes of around 40 ASFV have been sequenced using new generation sequencing (454), with analysis ongoing. In addition attempts of full genome sequencing from clinical material using a long range PCR strategy are currently being made.


Conclusions•ASFV very wide spread, and affects all levels of pig producers•Healthy domestic seronegative pigs may be important virus carriers, and may serve as a long term reservoir of the virus•A confirmatory diagnosis of ASF can be achieved within 48 hours. Rapid feedback to authorities as well as to the field important•The role of natural hosts in ASF epidemiology in Uganda still unclear


Acknowledgements

Sweden Uganda Kenya

Funding institutions•SLU•Sida•Formas

SLU•Dr Sofia Boqvist•Prof Ulf Emanuelson•Dr Mikael Berg•MFS students•m.fl.

MAK•Dr Charles Masembe•Dr Denis Muhangi•Dr Susan Ndyanabo•MUIENR staff

MAAIF•Dr Ademun Rose•Dr Chris Rutebarika•Martin Esau •Dr Lawrence Mayega•Dr Tonny Aliro•DVOs, NADDEC staff

UWA•Dr Patrick Atimnedi

ILRI•Dr Richard Bishop•Dr Edward Okoth•Dr Rob Skilton

And


And how many chicken can you transport on a Boda boda???????

ASF Uganda-project progress update and implications thereof

Technology

Transcript of ASF Uganda-project progress update and implications thereof