Division 1

The decision to recognise a holding as a suspected holding will be taken on the basis of the following findings, criteria and grounds:

1. (a)

   clinical and pathological findings in pigs. The main clinical and pathological findings to be considered are:

   • fever with morbidity and mortality in pigs of all ages,

   • fever with haemorrhagic syndrome; petechial and ecchymotic haemorrhages, especially in the lymph nodes, kidneys, spleen (which is enlarged and dark, particularly in the acute forms) and urinary bladder and ulcerations on the gall bladder;

2. (b)

   epidemiological findings. The main epidemiological findings to be considered are:

   • where pigs had direct or indirect contact with a pig holding proven to have been infected with the ASF virus,

   • where a holding has supplied pigs that were subsequently shown to be infected with the ASF virus,

   • where sows have been artificially inseminated with semen originating from a suspect source,

   • where there has been indirect or direct contact with feral pigs in a population where ASF occurs,

   • where pigs are kept outdoors in a region where feral pigs are infected with the ASF virus,

   • where pigs have been fed with swill and there is the suspicion that this swill has not been treated in such a way as to inactivate the ASF virus,

   • where possible exposure might have occurred, for example due to persons entering the holding, transports, etc. coming from holdings suspected to be infected or infected with the ASF virus,

   • where vectors occur in the area of the holding.