Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 06, 2025 1 hour, 8 minutes ago
Medical News: Mystery Surrounds Source of African Swine Fever Near Barcelona
Health and agriculture authorities in Spain are racing to contain a concerning outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) detected in wild boars outside Barcelona, with mounting suspicions pointing toward a potential laboratory leak. The virus, which poses no threat to humans but is highly lethal to pigs and wild boars, has not been seen in Spain since 1994—until now.
Spain Swine Fever Outbreak Sparks Fears of Possible Lab Leak
This
Medical News report highlights that 13 wild boars tested positive for ASF near the Collserola mountain range, triggering alarm across the country. Spain, the European Union’s largest pork producer, is particularly concerned about the impact on its €3.5 billion pork export industry. Genome sequencing performed by a Madrid-based laboratory revealed that the viral strain is strikingly similar to the “Georgia 2007” variant, which is widely used in research and vaccine development. This strain differs genetically from most currently circulating European strains, leading to speculation that the virus may have escaped from a nearby biological containment facility.
Investigations Target Animal Health Laboratory
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture stated that the discovery “does not rule out the possibility that its origin may lie in a biological containment facility.” Although no specific labs were initially named, Catalonia’s regional agriculture minister, Oscar Ordeig, later confirmed that an investigation would be launched into the Centre for Research in Animal Health (Cresa). Located next to the Autonomous University of Barcelona and within the affected six-kilometer containment zone, Cresa is a state-funded lab officially designated as a swine fever research facility by the World Organization for Animal Health(WOAH) in 2017.
Cresa denied any wrongdoing in a statement to local media but admitted that internal assessments found no direct evidence of a breach. However, officials have not ruled out the possibility of other labs being involved.
Earlier theories suggested the virus may have been introduced by a wild boar consuming contaminated food—possibly a sandwich discarded by a foreign truck driver. But the ministry later downplayed this theory, stating that the genetic profile of the strain indicates it did not originate from infected animals or animal products from countries where ASF is currently active.
Urgent Measures to Curb the Spread
In response, Catalonia’s regional government has ramped up culling operations and reengaged hunting associations to reduce the wild boar population, long seen as a public health risk. Regional leader Salvador Illa stressed that efforts to manage wild boar numbers were already underway before the outbreak, but the recent events have intensified the urgency. “There are too many wild boars,” he warned.
With more positive cases expected, Spanish authorities remain on h
igh alert to prevent the spread of ASF into commercial pig farms, which could devastate one of the country’s most important agricultural sectors.
Media References:
https://www.catalannews.com/politics/item/authorities-probe-possible-lab-leak-as-source-of-african-swine-fever-outbreak
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/spain-investigating-whether-swine-fever-outbreak-was-caused-by-laboratory-leak-2025-12-05/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/spain-not-ruling-out-lab-leak-as-cause-of-swine-fever-outbreak/
For the on the African Swine Fever outbreak in Spain, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/infectious-diseases
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/h5n1-avian-flu
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