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Conventional methods make it impossible to tell the difference between one pig infected with CSF and another which has merely been vaccinated against the viral infection.
However, the new test enables differentiation and therefore two recently developed vaccines can be used freely to limit the threat of serious outbreaks.
The virus represents no danger for humans but it does upset trade as well as bringing about economic and social costs in the case of outbreaks.
There was a CSF epidemic in 1997/8 in Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Other instances of the virus have hit the UK in 2000 and Spain in 2001/2.
Source: EUpolitix - 5th December 2003