Four commercial disinfectants were chosen for being generally accepted as effective against ASFV. Only two of them, based on sodium hypochlorite and potassium peroxymonosulfate, confirmed their effectiveness in selected concentrations. Taken together, our data supports the effectivenes of chemical disinfectants containing sodium hypochlorite (1%, 0.5% in low level soiling) and potassium peroxymonosulfate (1% in high level soiling). Furthermore, these results highlight the importance of pre-cleaning steps to remove soiling before proper disinfection which improves the effectiveness of tested disinfectants.

The reliable and rapid diagnosis of infectious animal diseases presents an exceptionally im- portant aspect when considering their control and prevention. The paper describes the compara- tive evaluation of two rapid isothermal amplification methods for diagnosis of African swine fever (ASF). The robustness of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and the cross-priming amplification (CPA) were compared using samples obtained from ASF confirmed animals. Both assays were evaluated in order to define their diagnostic capabilities in terms of ASF diagnosis and reproducibility of the results. Investigations showed no cross-reactivity for other pig patho- gens and no significant differences in the specificity of both assays. The sensitivity of LAMP reached 90%, while that of CPA was 70%. In conclusion, both methods are suitable for imple- mentation in preliminary ASF diagnosis but further improvements are required to enhance their diagnostic sensitivity.

Coronaviruses present a considerable concern for humans and animals. The current world- wide pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 virus showed many gaps in understanding of coronaviruses spread and transmission. Because of lack of effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 the only preventive measures are represented by wearing protective masks and gloves thus limiting potential risk of contact with the airborne virus. Inversely, the limited time of protective function of the masks presents another drawback of their use. Therefore, the application of disinfection agent dispersed on the surface of protective masks may enhance their effectivity and safety of their application. The aim of the study was to examine the virucidal efficacy of low-concentra- ted sodium hypochlorite dispersed using ultrasonic humidifier on the surface of surgery masks. The study was conducted using SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus, namely porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) representing a model with similar biophysical properties and genomic structure to human coronaviruses. Five different concentrations of the disinfectant with different content of sodium hypochlorite were selected for the study. A final concentration of 0.228 g/L sodium hypochlorite effectively inactivated the PED virus and may support the biosafety of masks usage.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has been applied for many years in the production of pigs to reduce the number of diarrhoea in weaned piglets. In June 2022, the European Union banned the use of zinc oxide (ZnO) in pig feed. According to scientific reports, the may reason was the accumulation of this microelement in the environment of pig production. It has been shown that frequent application of ZnO can lead to increased antibiotic resistance in pathogenic swine microflora. The main alternatives to ZnO are probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids, essential oils, and liquid feeding systems.
Alternatives to ZnO can be successfully used in pig production to reduce the number of diarrhoea among piglets during the postweaning period. Additional reports indicated that bacteriophage supplementation has a positive effect on the health of pigs. The article provides an overview of current ZnO substitutes that can be used in pig farming.

The present study attempted to elucidate possible routes leading to the achievement of sero- positive results, among young (aged ≤1 year) wild boar population. In the years 2017-2018, the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for African swine fever (ASF) in Poland examined nearly 27-thousand wild boar blood samples, collected during an active surveillance of ASF risk zones, for the presence of viral DNA and anti-ASFV antibodies. Out of all the examined samples, 420 were positive. However, in more than half of them (292 samples) antibodies against African swine fever virus (ASFV) were detected, while ASFV DNA was not detected in blood. Out of all 292 seropositive/PCR-negative samples, 126 belonged to young wild boars (aged ≤1 year). For this reason, the NRL in Poland has examined 10 selected seropositive wild boar carcasses to confirm or exclude post-mortem lesions for ASF as well as to investigate the presence of viral DNA in the internal organs. Neither pathological lesions for ASF nor the presence of genetic material of ASFV were found in the examined wild boars. To elucidate this outcomes, following hypotheses about possible reasons of the obtained results were drawn: the presence of convalescent animals, infection of low-virulent ASFV isolate and the vertical transmission of antibodies through the colostrum.

Four and a half years of African Swine Fever (ASF) in population of free-ranging wild boars and domestic pigs revealed a number of novel insights into the disease epidemiology. Until November 20th, 2018, in total 3048 cases in wild boars and 213 outbreaks in domestic pigs have been confirmed. In spite of low contagiosity as well as low rate of ASF spread in wild boars the disease has an enormous socio-economical impact on the production of pigs in Poland. One of the most important aspects which directly influences the dynamics of ASF spread is the unpredictable hu- man activity. Another important factor responsible for continuous ASF spread is fast recovery of wild boar population in spite of efforts taken by hunters. Assuming our scientific opinion ASF seems to be present in wildlife for the incoming few or several years. Therefore, extraordinary measures should be prepared and undertaken to limit the risk of the occurrence of future out- breaks in domestic pigs. One of the most crucial issues is implementation of strict biosecurity measures in all domestic pigs holdings.