The International Atomic Energy Agency requested urgent help in diagnostic reagents for the rapid diagnosis of African swine fever

Bearing in mind the rapid spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Serbia and the need for rapid action, in mid-July, the Directorate for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security of Serbia (SRBATOM) for the needs of the Scientific Veterinary Institute of Serbia (NIVS), has requested from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) exceptional emergency support in connection with the diagnostic reagents needed for the rapid diagnosis of this disease, announced SRBATOM.

- Given that the number of infected animals is expected to increase, assistance in the amount of EUR 60,000 has been requested, in diagnostic reagents necessary for rapid diagnosis of African swine fever. One of the key elements in the fight against infectious diseases is fast and reliable diagnostics because it is the basis and precedes all future activities.
Namely, anticipating the spread of ASF, as well as the arrival of other particularly dangerous diseases due to climate change, the IAEA funded the NIVS 2020/2021 project "Strengthening the capacity of national reference laboratories for early detection, epidemiological surveillance and control of transboundary animal diseases in emergency situations". Thanks to this project, readiness and laboratory capacities have been raised to the highest level - the announcement reads.

SRBATOM states that African swine fever (ASF) was diagnosed in Serbia for the first time in 2019 in domestic pigs, but thanks to the measures taken and the relatively low density of the wild boar population in the affected areas, there was no transmission of the virus and no disease among wild boars.

- However, at the beginning of 2020, the first cases of African fever were diagnosed in the border areas with Romania and Bulgaria, most likely as a result of the natural spread of the disease, i.e. the movement of wild boars. Numerous measures were taken, the most important of which included increased and reduced shooting in order to reduce the number of wild boars. Since ASF is difficult to control in wild pigs, the main goal of the applied measures is to prevent the spread of the disease to domestic pigs. Therefore, preventive depopulation of domestic pigs was resorted to in some areas.
In the Veterinary Scientific Institute of Serbia, which is the National Reference Laboratory for this disease, this viral disease is diagnosed using the most modern molecular methods. In addition, genetic typing is performed and the evolution of the virus is closely monitored - the memo states.

Agenija za zaštitu od jonizujućih zračenja i nuklearnu sigurnost Srbije

Direktorat za radijacionu i nuklearnu sigurnost i bezbednost Srbije

Naučni institut za veterinarstvo Novi Sad

SRBATOM

NIVS

MAAE

International Atomic Energy Agency

African swine fever

reagents for African swine fever diagnosis