In this review, our focus was put on similarities and differences of the two viral diseases and the subsequent epidemiological consequences.
So far, the affected countries encounter new cases every week and the situation is out of control in the wild boar population. The disease neither died out nor spreads with high speed as predicted. However, the recent developments of the ASF epidemics in the Baltic EU Member States and in Poland showed that the disease dynamics did not follow the expected pattern and several open questions remain. Up to very recently, most central and eastern European countries had mainly experience with CSF, and in many cases, control strategies for ASF were copied from CSF-contingency plans of the past. In the case of an outbreak, both diseases may generally entail substantial economic consequences for the affected country or region, particularly in western European countries with a considerable pig industry. ASF as well as CSF are viral diseases affecting pigs ( Suidae) exclusively. Diseases found on this list are of considerable international interest and subject to specific regulations.
They are both listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Nonetheless, both diseases are frequently mentioned at the same time or compared to each other, especially when it comes to epidemiology and disease control. Yet, despite the similar clinical signs and some shared pathogenic characteristics, the two diseases are caused by completely different viruses. In fact, ASF was even thought to be caused by the same virus as CSF before Montgomery described it as an independent disease entity in Kenya. Similar names suggest similar disease characteristics for African and classical swine fever (ASF and CSF). Another intention was to identify research gaps, which need to be closed to increase the chances of a successful eradication of ASF and therefore for a decrease of the economic threat for pig holdings and the international trade. Our objective was to discuss critically, if and to which extent the current knowledge can be transferred from one disease to the other and where new findings should lead to a critical review of measures relating to the prevention, control and surveillance of ASF and CSF. In the present review, we aimed to collate differences and similarities of the two diseases that impact epidemiology and thus the necessary control actions. However, there are several essential differences between both diseases, which need to be considered for the design of control or preventive measures. The similar names and the same susceptible species suggest a similarity of the two viral diseases, a related biological behaviour and, correspondingly, similar epidemiological features. However, ASF remerged in eastern Europe in 2007 and the interest in the disease, its control and epidemiology increased tremendously. Except for Sardinia, ASF was eradicated in Europe in the late 1990s, which led to a research focus on CSF because this disease continued to be present. For the global pig industry, classical (CSF) and African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks are a constantly feared threat.
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