Understanding the Epidemiology of African
swine fever (ASF) to Support Development
of Evidence-Based Control Strategies
Funded by CSIRO-AusAID
Australia-Africa Food Security Initiative

Project Objectives 1
ASF EPIDEMIOLOGY IN THE FIELD
• Disease outbreak surveillance combining participatory
epidemiology, clinical assessment by veterinarians and ‘ground
truthing’ using serological and nucleic acid diagnostics
• In-depth investigation of ASF epidemiology through longitudinal
studies (three sampling points in the border regions of western
Kenya and eastern Uganda)
• Temporal patterns of infection and clinical disease
• Sentinel pigs to survey virus transmission
• Analysis of pig movements and productivity of animals with and
without viral infections
• Investigate role of ‘virus carrier’ pigs in causing outbreaks
• First modelling of viral transmission dynamics and impact of control
measures for ASF
• Simultaneous collection of value chain and socio-economic data

Project Objectives 2
LABORATORY-RESEARCH-GENOMICS (with connection
to the field)
• Develop rapid genome sequencing and genotyping
methodologies-for application to tissues from infected pigs to
enable linkage of viral genotypes with clinical status and
epidemiological data
• Collection of blood, serum and tissues from ASFV infected
animals
• Linked to ‘metadata’ which will include details of farming
systems, herd size and productivity, plus value chain
information
• Managed in a customised database

Project Objectives 3
TRAINING
• Training of scientists from National Institutes at BecA-ILRI-
Hub Nairobi and CISA-INIA EU reference lab in Madrid, in
ASF surveillance and gentic diversity analysis
• Transfer of skills in serological and nucleic-acid based viral
detection, viral genotyping and isolation to ILRI-BecA Hub
• Upgrading of diagnostic technology infrastructure available at
the ILRI-DVS laboratory in Busia Western Kenya
• PhD projects
-Pig Farming systems in relation to ASF prevalence
-ASF modelling-disease dynamics and impact
-Social Scientist
• Workshops targeting veterinary authorities, farmers groups
and other value chain stakeholders

Outputs and Outcomes
• Synthesis of research data to produce documents for implementation of
evidence-based mitigation strategies - leading to improved disease
control
(1) Veterinary authorities
(2) Farmers Groups and Community animal health workers
• Increased awareness of the disease among value chain stakeholders
through better communication and networking and feedback through
workshops and less formal interactions with farmer groups
• Use the data to design evidence-based control strategies Implemented
through Ministries of Agriculture and Departments of Veterinary Service
(DVS) supported by:
FAO-Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal diseases
(ECTAD)
Africa Union-(AU-IBAR)-Network for coordinating DVS effort from
different countries within the region

Future plans
• Look more holistically at entire pig production sector to
improve efficiency including feed constraints and other
diseases
• Value Chain approach including input suppliers,
slaughter slab operators, butchers and consumers
• Research planned on vaccine development using
modern approaches based on genomic and novel
systems for antigen delivery
•
• Interface of viral and host diversity

Acknowledgements
• Field team-Edward Okoth
• Modelling Eric Fevre Group leader
• Mike Barongo Student
• DVS –Kenya
• Uganda
• Csiro AuSAID