asf diagnosis

ASF presents with different clinical forms. The acute and subacute forms with high mortality are similar to other porcine haemorrhagic diseases, especially classical swine fever and erysipelas. In countries where ASF is endemic, the incidence of less virulent viruses (circulating at the same time as virulent viruses) causes an increase in subacute and subclinical forms with moderate mortality complicating the clinical and epidemiological picture. The latter are of great epidemiological importance as they produce unrecognised virus carriers for weeks or months, maintaining the disease in pigs. Laboratory diagnosis is therefore essential for the definitive diagnosis of the disease.