Swine fever in Genoa, Gratarola: “The presence of the virus in the wild boar carcasses found in Bisagno has been confirmed”

Genoa – “The tests carried out by ASL 3 between the end of September 2023 and January 2024 on the wild boar carcasses found in the bed of the Bisagno stream revealed the presence of the Psa virus in 25 out of 26 cases and everything was communicated with the correct procedures “. The regional health councilor Angelo Gratarola He thus intervenes following the question with immediate response presented this morning in the regional council by the opposition councilor Paolo Ugolini.

“As communicated by the only body responsible for carrying out checks, namely the ASL, – adds Angelo Gratarola – it was clear from the analyzes conducted the presence of African swine fever virus DNA and therefore the technicians of the same health company deemed it unnecessary to carry out further investigations on other possible causes of death. It is therefore serious to question the competence of the scientific work carried out by the healthcare professionals by declaring, as in the case of the opposition councillor, 'that other experts have hypothesized other causes of death'. It then begs the question who are these phantom experts mentionedin what capacity they make these declarations and whether, by closely evaluating the carcasses, the experts themselves applied the safety criteria established by the ordinance to avoid expanding the transmission of the virus”.

The current epidemiological picture and the recent outbreaks found in the urban context of the metropolitan city of Genoa therefore do not allow any doubts as to the reasons for the death of these animals. The first carcasses of wild boars affected by Psa were found in the Bisagno riverbed at the end of September 2023 (click here for the article). “Regarding the notification of the outbreak, it is worth remembering – concludes Angelo Gratarola – that it was carried out by the ASL 3 on the 'Siman' system, i.e. the National Animal Disease Information System as required by the current legislation”.