African Swine Fever (ASF)
- Highly contagious viral disease causing severe economic losses
- Affects only domestic pigs and wild suids (boars) — does NOT infect humans
- Current event: 20 wild boars recently died in Serchhip district, Mizoram
- No commercial vaccine available — control relies entirely on biosecurity and rapid response
Nipah Virus
- Zoonotic disease (animal to human transmission)
- Diagnosis: RT-PCR, serology (ELISA), and virus isolation in Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) laboratories
UPSC Angle
- GS3: Science & technology, disease surveillance, biosecurity
📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia
African Swine Fever:
- Host: domestic pigs and wild suids only (not humans)
- Vaccine: none commercially available
- Control: biosecurity + rapid response
- Recent outbreak: Serchhip, Mizoram (20 wild boars)
Nipah Virus:
- Type: zoonotic (bat-borne)
- Diagnosis: RT-PCR, ELISA, BSL-4 virus isolation