CLASICAL HOG FEVER / HOG

CHOLERA
awareness, prevention and
protection
What is a classical hog fever (CHF) or hog
cholera?
Classical swine fever (CSF) or hog
cholera (also sometimes called pig
plague based on the German
word Schweinepest) is a highly
contagious disease of swine (Old World
 and New World pigs).
 What is a classical hog fever (CHF) or hog
cholera?
classical hog fever (CSF) is one of the
most economically-damaging pandemic
viral diseases of pigs in the world. Many
governments take it very seriously and
adopt strict control policies, which
include compulsory vaccination or
slaughter and eradication policies.
 What is a classical hog fever (CHF) or hog
cholera?
In a susceptible (unvaccinated) herd
almost all the pigs are affected. It causes
generalised disease, including fever,
malaise, lack of appetite, diarrhoea,
paralysis, abortion, mummification and
the birth of shaking piglets. Mortality is
high.
 What is a classical hog fever (CHF) or hog
cholera?
Fortunately, there is only one serotype of
the virus and attenuated vaccines are
highly effective. Also, it does not spread
on the wind or on insects or birds so
standard precautions of farm biosecurity
should keep it out. However it persists in
uncooked and cured meat and these
should not be fed to pigs. 
 Symptoms of classical hog fever
or hog cholera
The virus that causes CSF varies in
virulence. Some strains are highly
virulent and cause acute (i.e. rapid)
serious disease. Some strains are of low
virulence and cause chronic (i.e. long-
lasting) disease, others are
intermediate causing sub-acute disease.
 Acute disease
Clinical signs usually appear first in a small number of
growing pigs which show non-specific signs of depression,
sleepiness, and reluctance to get up or to eat. If you get them
up they may wander to the feeder but eat very little or
nothing and wander away again to lie down. They walk and
stand with their heads down and tails limp. Over the
following few days these signs get worse and more pigs
become affected.
Younger piglets may appear chilled, shiver and huddle
together.
 Acute disease
Initially affected pigs may appear to be constipated but this
generally changes to a yellow-grey diarrhoea as the disease
progresses. Early on some of the pigs may develop
conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eye surface) with thin
discharges. This gets worse, the discharge getting thicker
with time until some of the eyelids are completely closed and
adhered.
A constant early sign, which persists throughout the disease
until just before death, is a high fever, over 42ºC (107ºF).
Check the sick pigs' rectal temperatures. If they are all high
suspect CSF.
 Acute disease
As the disease progresses the affected pigs become very thin
and weak and develop a staggering walk. Initially this is
probably through weakness but later it is due to infection of
and damage to the spinal nerves. Partial paralysis of the hind
end results in a drunken walk and a tendency to fall to a
sitting or lying position. Diarrhoea worsens and some pigs
vomit a yellowish bile. The pigs' skins go purple, first over the
ears and tail, followed by the snout, lower legs, belly and
back. Affected pigs die in 10-20 days. Some pigs go into
convulsions before death.
 Chronic and aberrant disease and persistent
infection

The virus can cross the placenta and infect the

piglets in the sow's uterus. Sows that have been
inadequately vaccinated that become infected, or
sows which become infected with a virus of low
virulence, may appear normal but give birth to
shaking piglets many of which die. (Note: there
are also other causes of shaking or trembling
piglets).
 Chronic and aberrant disease and persistent
infection

If the virus crosses the placenta before the piglets' immune
systems have developed they may be born apparently healthy
although possibly weak and may grow on to be persistent
carriers without at first showing clinical signs. They shed
virus so they are a menace to other pigs. At several weeks or
months of age they may develop typical clinical signs but
these are likely to be milder, last longer and without the high
temperatures.
Chronic and aberrant disease and persistent
infection

Virus that infects the piglets in the uterus may cause

other effects, namely, death, mummification, abortion
or the birth of weak piglets some of which may be
deformed. Vaccination of sows during pregnancy with
some of the original attenuated virus vaccines resulted
in trans-placental infection of unborn piglets with
similar adverse results. The newer attenuated vaccines
are claimed to be safer.
Chronic and aberrant disease and persistent
infection
Low virulence strains of the virus may also multiply in
the reproductive tracts of unvaccinated boars or boars
which have been inadequately vaccinated. The vaccine
virus itself in some of the older attenuated vaccines
was thought to do this, resulting in returns to service
and abortions.
 Sub-acute disease
The early signs in growing pigs are similar but they
progress more slowly and are less severe. Affected pigs
may be ill for up to 30 days before they die.
Acute form (more virulent virus strains
and/or younger pigs)
• Fever (41°C)
• Anorexia, lethargy
• Severe leucopenia
• Multifocal hyperaemia and/or haemorrhagic lesions of
the skin
• Conjunctivitis
• Enlarged, swollen lymph nodes
• Cyanosis of the skin especially of extremities (ears,
limbs, tail, snout)
• Transient constipation followed by diarrhoea
Acute form (more virulent virus strains
and/or younger pigs)
• Transient constipation followed by diarrhoea
• Vomiting (occasional)
• Dyspnoea, coughing
• Ataxia, paresis and convulsion
• Pigs huddle together
• Death occurs 5–25 days after onset of illness
• Mortality in young pigs can approach 100%
Chronic form (less virulent virus strains or
partially immune herds)
• Dullness, capricious appetite, pyrexia, diarrhoea for
up to 1 month
• Ruffled appearance of pigs
• Growth retardation
• Apparent recovery with eventual relapse and death
within about 3 months