AFRICAN SWINE FEVER IN ARMENIA

European Report
September 11, 2007

The European Commission sent an expert (Dr Domenico Rutili, head of
the national reference laboratory for African swine fever-ASF-at
the Istituto Zooprofilattico, Perugia, Italy) from the Community
Veterinary Emergency Team to Armenia on 10 September to take part in
a joint EU-OIE-FAO mission to assist the Ministry of Agriculture in
investigating ASF outbreaks. Armenia notified the World Organisation
for Animal Health (OIE) ten days ago of several outbreaks of this
highly contagious pig disease close to the border with Georgia,
where there is currently an ASF epidemic. While ASF does not affect
humans, it can have severe implications for animal health and for
the international trade of animals and animal products. (EVP)