African swine fever virus: Virology, pathogenesis, clinical impact, and global control strategies

Abstract

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and lethal viral disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boars, with profound implications for global swine production and food security. Caused by the ASF virus (ASFV), a complex double-stranded DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family, the disease exhibits diverse clinical outcomes - from peracute death to chronic infection - depending on viral genotype and host immunity. ASFV primarily targets monocytes and macrophages, leading to severe lymphoid depletion, systemic inflammation, and vascular pathology mediated by cytokine storms. The virus demonstrates remarkable environmental resilience and is transmitted through direct contact, fomites, and biological vectors such as Ornithodoros soft ticks. With 23 genotypes identified to date, ASFV poses ongoing challenges to diagnosis, control, and vaccine development. Diagnostic methods, including polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and virus isolation, are essential for timely detection and containment. Despite advances in live-attenuated vaccine research, safe and broadly protective vaccines remain elusive. This review synthesizes current knowledge on ASFV’s molecular biology, transmission dynamics, immunopathogenesis, clinical presentations, and control strategies and underscores the urgent need for integrated surveillance systems, cross-sectoral collaboration, and innovative tools for outbreak prediction and disease mitigation.