Preliminary report on the African swine fever epizootic in Cuba. Methods of diagnosis and control
Anonymous
Bulletin - Office International des Epizooties 75(7): 367-437
1971
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-9823 PMID: 5168939 Document Number: 35936
In the 1971 epidemic of African swine fever in Cuba (the first appearance of the disease in the Americas) 33 outbreaks occurred during May and June in the province of Havana, involving 33, 254 pigs, of which 12,173 died and 20,351 in-contacts were slaughtered. The origin of the infection was not established. Diagnosis was based on haemadsorption, immunofluorescence and cross-immunity tests. (Classical swine fever is endemic in Cuba; free vaccination is provided by the State, but is not systematically carried out). The outbreaks were 'stamped out', and infected and in-contact-animals were burned or buried. All pigs within an area of 5 km to the North and 5 km to the South between Havana and Pinar del Rio and Havana-Matanzas were slaughtered. In addition, as a further precaution, all privately owned pigs in Havana Province were slaughtered and compensation was paid, though each owner was allowed to retain 3-5 pigs for home consumption. Sanitary measures were rigidly enforced with special attention to the disposal of waste from ships and aircraft.