Authors:
Percy Hawkes
The rapid and seemingly uncontrolled spread of African swine fever (ASF) throughout China and many of its neighboring countries within the last 19 months (August 2018-March 2020) has put the rest of the world on high alert. The geographic distribution of viruses of importation concern, like ASF virus (ASFV), can change very quickly, putting at risk conventional sources of porcine serum and other porcine-derived products used as ingredients in research, the manufacture of biologies, and other biomedical applications. This article reviews the 2019 information from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) regarding the presence or absence of eight viruses of importation concern in the swine populations of 30 countries from animal serum-producing reg ions of the world. Companies importing porcine raw materials for formulation into porcine products- and their customers – should be aware of the geographic location of swine diseases of importation concern. The article also identifies ten adventitious viruses of concern cited in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and European Union (EU) regulations that need to be tested for or eliminated through one or more barrier treatments when porcine ingredients are used in the manufacture of biologies.