Spanish authorities are urgently investigating the possibility that a recent outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Catalonia may have originated from a leak at a research facility. The probe was launched after scientists identified the virus strain as one commonly used in laboratory experiments.
Focus on Five Secure Facilities
Since the first detection on 28 November, thirteen cases of the disease have been confirmed in wild boars in the countryside near Barcelona. In response, Salvador Illa, the regional president of Catalonia, has ordered an immediate audit of five facilities within a 20km radius of the outbreak site that are known to work with the African swine fever virus.
Initial theories suggested the virus entered the environment via contaminated food, such as a discarded meat sandwich from abroad. However, this line of inquiry was upended when the agriculture ministry confirmed the strain found was not the same as those currently circulating in other EU nations.
A Strain Known to Science
Instead, the virus is strikingly similar to the ‘Georgia 2007’ strain. In an official statement, the ministry noted this particular variant is a “reference virus frequently used in experimental infections” within high-security containment labs. It is employed to study the pathogen and test potential vaccines, which are still in development.
“The discovery of a virus similar to the one that circulated in Georgia does not, therefore, rule out the possibility that its origin lies in a biological containment facility,” the ministry stated last Friday. This revelation has shifted the investigation's focus squarely onto the local research infrastructure.
Containment Efforts and Economic Stakes
Spain, as the European Union’s largest pork producer and exporter, is racing to contain the outbreak before it devastates a critical industry. The country's pork export trade is worth a staggering €8.8bn (£7.7bn) annually. Last year alone, it exported €5.1bn of pig meat to other EU countries and nearly €3.7bn to international markets.
To prevent further spread, a major containment operation is underway:
- All 13 confirmed cases are in wild boars found within 6km of the initial site.
- Tests on 37 other wild animal carcasses in the zone have returned negative.
- Inspections of 39 pig farms within a 20km radius have found no infection.
- Over 100 personnel from Spain’s military emergencies unit have been deployed alongside police and rangers.
President Illa emphasised caution, stating, “The regional government isn’t ruling out any possibilities... All hypotheses remain open. First and foremost, we need to know what happened.”
While harmless to humans, African swine fever is often fatal for pigs and wild boar. Its spread to China in 2018 led to the loss of millions of pigs, and its 2021 detection in Germany caused major concern. The Spanish outbreak now poses a direct threat to a sector that slaughtered 58 million pigs in 2021, a figure 40% higher than a decade ago.
