Spanish authorities are investigating the possibility that a recent outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Catalonia may have originated from a research laboratory.
The suspicion emerged after 13 cases of infection were confirmed in wild boars around Barcelona, raising alarm over a potential threat to Spain’s €8.8-billion pork industry, The Guardian reports, as relayed by KosovaPress.
Initially, the outbreak was believed to have spread after a wild boar consumed contaminated food—such as a discarded sandwich—but the investigation has now taken a new turn.
According to Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, the virus strain detected in the affected animals does not match those currently circulating in the European Union. Instead, it closely resembles a strain identified in Georgia in 2007.
“The discovery of a virus similar to the strain circulating in Georgia does not rule out the possibility that its origin may be linked to a biological isolation facility,” the ministry stated.
The “Georgia 2007” strain is commonly used as a reference virus in laboratory experiments and in vaccine development, increasing concerns that the outbreak may be connected to research activities.
The Ministry’s report notes that the virus may not have originated from animals or animal products coming from countries where ASF is currently present.
Catalonia’s regional president, Salvador Illa, said the government is not ruling out any scenario regarding the origin of the outbreak and that all hypotheses remain open.
African swine fever, while harmless to humans, is often fatal to pigs. The virus emerged in China in 2018 and was confirmed in Germany in 2021.
Spain remains the largest producer of pork in the European Union. Its exports are valued at €5.1 billion within the EU and nearly €3.7 billion to markets outside the bloc.
