Division B Guidelines for the use of the discriminatory test in the context of an emergency vaccination with a marker vaccine in pig holdings in the framework of Article 19 of Directive 2001/89/EC

The discriminatory test is designed to verify the presence or absence of classical swine fever virus circulation on a pig population vaccinated with a marker vaccine. The available data suggest that it can be successfully used for that purpose on herd bases, but it cannot reliably exclude that individual pigs are infected with classical swine fever virus. In particular, the specificity of the discriminatory test might not be sufficient to reliably discriminate marker vaccinated pigs from infected pigs in case of vaccination of adult pigs. In case of doubtful results, however, the pigs in question must be slaughtered or killed in a humane way in accordance with Directive 93/119/EC and their organs tested for classical swine fever virus. Virus isolation and the PCR are the most suitable tests for that purpose.

These aspects have to be taken into full account when designing an emergency marker-vaccination strategy and then interpreting the results of a classical swine fever virus survey onto the marker-vaccinated population.

The procedure for sampling and testing the vaccinated pig population before lifting the restrictions to be applied in the vaccinated area in accordance with Article 19 of Directive 2001/89/EC, should depend on the age of the vaccinated pigs, the category of pigs (fattening/slaughter, breeding) and the desired level of safety as regards the absence of virus circulation in the population.

Details on the procedure for sampling and testing shall therefore be laid down in the emergency vaccination plan to be submitted to the Commission pursuant to Article 19(3) of Directive 2001/89/EC."