Table 2 Summary of the most important differences and similarities between African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF)

Virus

 Virus taxonomy and morphology

Large DNA virus

Small RNA virus

 Clinical signs and pathology

Among others high fever, appetite loss, lethargy, erythema, petechiae

 Immune response and vaccination

Lack of neutralizing antibodies, no or insufficient cross-protection among strains, protection linked to cytotoxic T-cell responses

No vaccination available

Existence of neutralizing antibodies, cross-protection among genotypes, safe and efficacious vaccines available

Epidemiology

 Transmission and contagiosity

Direct and indirect transmission

Most effective with blood contact, no evidence for intrauterine transmission

Virus shedding with all se- and excretions, intrauterine transmission and resulting persistent infection of fetuses possible

 Vectors and carriers

Wild boar important reservoir

Transmission through ticks possible

No transmission through arthropods or rodents described

 Tenacity

Long infectivity in cold environmental temperatures

History and today’s distribution

For long time only endemic in Africa and Sardinia since 2007 present in Europe

Long-term epidemics in wild boar over the last decades, sporadic occurrence in domestic pigs; currently no outbreaks in domestic pigs, no cases reported in wild boar

Prevention and control measures

No vaccination

Effective vaccination

High biosecurity, no swill feeding, no contact between domestic pigs and wild boar