Laboratory diagnosis of a new outbreak of acute African swine fever in
smallholder pig farms in Jos, Nigeria, in 2019
Abstract
African swine fever is a highly contagious fatal infectious disease of
pigs with a worldwide occurrence and economic importance. Two adult
large white boars from two farms in Jos North, Plateau State-Nigeria
kept under intensive management system were diagnosed of African swine
fever between the last week of July and the first week of August 2019 at
the Veterinary Teaching Hospital University of Jos. In both cases the
farmers complained of sudden deaths of pigs. At post mortem examination
carcasses grossly showed splenomegaly, hemorrhagic lymphadenitis, and
hepatomegaly with severe congestion. The kidneys were enlarged and had
generalized petechiae and blood clot in the pelvis.The heart was
moderately enlarged.On microscopy, the spleen and lymph nodes, showed
severe lymphocytic depletion, haemorrhage and severe haemosiderosis. The
liver was severely congested with focal coagulative necrosis of the
hepatocytes. The kidneys were severely congested and showed renal
tubular necrosis with few tubular protein casts. Tissue samples were
confirmed to be positive for ASFV by polymerase chain reaction and
phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate belonged to genotype-I.
Sequences obtained were compared and deposited in the GenBank and were
accessioned MN888693 and MN888694. Keywords: African swine fever;
laboratory; diagnosis; smallholder farms; pig; Nigeria