Management model of wild boar hunting in the territory of the Local Health Agency (ASL) of Sassari: procedure of hunting authorization in the African swine fever virus (ASFV) infected area

The occurrence of African swine fever in Sardinia requires stringent health checks of wild boars shot during the hunting season. The purpose of this paper is to present the management model used by the veterinary authority... [ view full abstract ]

The occurrence of African swine fever in Sardinia requires stringent health checks of wild boars shot during the hunting season. The purpose of this paper is to present the management model used by the veterinary authority (ASL of Sassari) to implement a health surveillance of wild boars hunted in an ASFV infected area in the years 2013-2016. A part of the ASL of Sassari is considered “infected area” due to the occurrence of ASF in the wild boar. In this area, hunting is prohibited but can be authorized by way of derogation if in compliance with stringent rules. A protocol for management of hunting in was drawn up, establishing that all carcasses must be stored in authorized sites until the results of serological and virological tests carried out by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna. In case of positive results, the carcasses were destroyed, while the others were used for local consumptions. In the period 2013-2014, 127 licenses to hunt by way of derogation were issued by ASL of Sassari. In 2015, 138 licensed were issued by the responsible of the UDP (Regional Project Unit for the ASF), totaling 2587 hunters. In a database were recorded: weekly hunted wild boars, the numbers of seropositive and virus positive, the dates and places of hunting. All this information has been sent to the Ministry of Health through the Animal Diseases Information System (SIMAN) and georeferenced using GIS software (Geographic Information System). This model has ensured effective monitoring of 1582 hunted wild boars and control over the activity of hunting companies by the Regional Forestry Department. This procedure ensures an effective assessment of the epidemiological situation of ASF and has led in some cases the repealing of the “infected” area in accordance with European Directive 2002/60/EC.