Beijing, January 22: A new form of African swine fever, known to cause a chronic condition that leads to reduction in healthy off-springs in pigs, has been identified in Chinese pig farms. As per reports, it is most likely caused by unlicensed and illicit vaccination. There is no approved vaccine for the virus, but Chinese farmers who struggle to protect their pigs end up in administering unapproved vaccines to the animal, which the experts believe must have created an accidental infection.

As per reports, two new strains of African swine fever have infected more than 1,000 sows on several farms owned by Chinese pork producer New Hope Liuhe and the pigs being fattened for the firm by contract farmers, said Yan Zhichun, the company's chief science officer told Reuters. "I don't know where they come from, but we find some mild field infections caused by some sort of gene-deleted viruses," Yan added. What is African Swine Fever? Know All About ASF, Detected in India's Pigs For The First Time.

Various producers of pork in China are culling the infected pigs to prevent the spreading of swine fever. Though it is reportedly not deadly to pigs, but it reduces their capacity to give birth healthy piglets. The virus is known to survive for months in some pork products.African Swine Fever Detected in India for 1st Time; 2,500 Pigs Die Across 306 Villages in Assam.

Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has reportedly issued at least three warnings against use of unauthorised African swine fever vaccines, cautioning that they could have severe side effects and that producers and users could be charged with a criminal offence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 22, 2021 05:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).