Eradication of African swine fever from Brazil

Several outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF), which appeared in the south of Brazil in 1978 and 1979, led the Brazilian authorities to apply emergency sanitary measures. 66,966pigs were destroyed in 224 outbreaks of identified ASF. In order to eradicate ASF and to control classical swine fever (CSF) simultaneously, a vast national Programme was launched in November 1980. It provided for three stages of action: — Attack stage (1980-1984) — Consolidation stage (1984-1986) — Maintenance stage (1987) The attack stage of the Programme comprised surveillance of the disease at several levels: international transport, movement of pigs within the country, serologic and clinical control in breeding centres and abattoirs, declaration of farms free of ASF. Other sections of the Programme included systematic vac­ cination against CSF, restructuring of regional laboratories, training of per­ sonnel in animal health, and improvement of the national information system. The consolidation and maintenance stages were aimed at continuing epidemio­ logical surveillance in the country and, if necessary, rapid extinction of new outbreaks of ASF.