See also: 3 August 2006, 29 June 2006, 15 June 2006, 8 June 2006, 1 June 2006, 27 April 2006, 2 February 2006

Information received on 14 September 2006 from Mr Jia Youling, Director General, Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing:

Report date: 12 September 2006.

Since the end of June, pigs have died of a disease characterised by rising body temperature, redness of the skin and rapid breathing in some parts of 6 provinces of China, namely Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hubei. Immediately after the occurrence of the disease, the Ministry of Agriculture took appropriate prevention and control measures and the unnatural deaths of pigs have come to a stop. By epidemiological investigation and laboratory testing of 582 samples of pathogenic material, we have discovered that this disease is closely related to the mixed infection of classical swine fever, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and porcine circovirus. Of all the pathogenic samples, 263 samples (i.e. 45%) were positive for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS); 167 samples (i.e. 29.2%) were positive for classical swine fever (CSF); 130 samples (i.e. 22.3%) were positive for porcine circovirus (PCV-2); 17 samples were positive for Aujeszky's disease; 6 samples were positive for Streptococcus suis; one sample was positive for pasteurellosis infection, and 47 samples were positive for porcine contagious pleuropneumonia infection. Samples that tested positive for PRRS, CFS, or PCV-2 account for 96.5% of the total of the samples tested. We also tested 80 samples from sick pigs for African swine fever with polymerase chain reaction as recommended by the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals. All of the results were negative and the possibility of African swine fever can therefore be ruled out.

A similar swine disease was also found in some southern provinces of China in hot summers during the last few years. It was also called “swine high fever disease” in some places. Several features concerning the occurrence of the disease have been identified. Firstly, it is very seasonal. It is found mainly from June to September. Secondly, it only affects certain areas along the Yangtze River, mainly in the provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Jangxi, Anhui and Jiagsu. The morbidity and mortality rate of the disease have not shown a sudden or unexpected increase so far. We are currently arranging for a microbiologist to conduct further research. If there is any new detection of the disease, it will be notified to the OIE immediately. The status of classical swine fever and other animal diseases will continue to be notified to the OIE.

Note by the OIE Animal Health Information Department: this is the reply received from the Chinese veterinary authorities in response to a request based on information that has been circulating regarding high mortality observed in pigs in some parts of the People's Republic of China.

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