About Us
The African swine fever competence center (ASFC) has been established in Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences in 01 10 2018. Head of the ASFC is Prof. dr. Alvydas Malakauskas. The ASFC was established with close collaboration between Veterinary Academy of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service.
The aim of creation of such center was to consolidate efforts of various institutions in Lithuania in order to tackle African swine fever (ASF) problem locally and to contribute to international efforts to combat this disease. The ASFC is acting as research and education entity in this specified area and involves scientist with expertise in epidemiology, virology and molecular biology, and with competence on African swine fever diagnosis, control and eradication in field conditions.
The ASFC is taking part in education and training of veterinary inspectors, veterinarians, pig producers and hunters at a national and at the international level based on regional experience. The Centre enables training for the European and neighbouring countries where the ASF has been recorded as well as countries with the high risk of introduction of ASF to improve the ability of specialists to identify the introduction of ASF in early stages, to draw up adequate contingency plans, to make assessment of the surveillance and control, which are carried out in the countries, with the focus on biosafety requirements at pig keeping places and at the time of hunting.
Training is done combining both theoretical and practical activities on ASF legislation, its implementation, ASF virus diagnosis and epidemiological investigations. Field trips to pig keeping places and hunting entities are used in order to demonstrate practical implementation of surveillance, control and biosafety for pigs and wild boars. Usually the training takes from 2 to 3 days, visiting domestic pig holdings, hunting areas and facilities, National reference laboratory for ASF.
The African swine fever competence center (ASFC) has been established in Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences in 01 10 2018. Head of the ASFC is Prof. dr. Alvydas Malakauskas. The ASFC was established with close collaboration between Veterinary Academy of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service.
The aim of creation of such center was to consolidate efforts of various institutions in Lithuania in order to tackle African swine fever (ASF) problem locally and to contribute to international efforts to combat this disease. The ASFC is acting as research and education entity in this specified area and involves scientist with expertise in epidemiology, virology and molecular biology, and with competence on African swine fever diagnosis, control and eradication in field conditions.
The ASFC is taking part in education and training of veterinary inspectors, veterinarians, pig producers and hunters at a national and at the international level based on regional experience. The Centre enables training for the European and neighbouring countries where the ASF has been recorded as well as countries with the high risk of introduction of ASF to improve the ability of specialists to identify the introduction of ASF in early stages, to draw up adequate contingency plans, to make assessment of the surveillance and control, which are carried out in the countries, with the focus on biosafety requirements at pig keeping places and at the time of hunting.
Training is done combining both theoretical and practical activities on ASF legislation, its implementation, ASF virus diagnosis and epidemiological investigations. Field trips to pig keeping places and hunting entities are used in order to demonstrate practical implementation of surveillance, control and biosafety for pigs and wild boars. Usually the training takes from 2 to 3 days, visiting domestic pig holdings, hunting areas and facilities, National reference laboratory for ASF.