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EU experts look at measures to prevent ASF
There were calls to harmonise the way in which wild boar data is collected across the EU.
Report highlights strategies to manage wild boar 

Food safety experts say intensive hunting of wild boar and avoiding feeding should be implemented to reduce the risk of African swine fever (ASF).

The European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) made the recommendations in a scientific opinion published this week.

Wild boar are known to play an important role in the spread of ASF. Defra’s latest update shows the disease is continuing to be reported wild boar, domestic pigs and farmed wild boar in Eastern Europe and western Eurasia.

When an epidemic is ongoing, Efsa recommended avoiding activities that may increase the movement of wild boar, such as intensive drive hunts. Regular dialogue between stakeholders is also important for increasing preparedness, the opinion states.

Christian Gortazar, chair of EFSA’s working group on ASF, said: “Experts agreed that building awareness in society and providing incentives to people who report on wild boar carcasses are essential to fight the disease.”

Reporting of dead wild boar is currently the best way to detect new ASF cases at an early stage, in previously disease-free areas.

Experts could not determine the threshold for wild boar, below which ASF would not take hold, as the disease has spread in areas where the prevalence of wild boar is low.

There were calls to harmonise the way in which wild boar data is collected across the EU, to make it more comparable. Efsa is funding a project called ENETWILD to help collect and harmonise data on the geographical distribution and abundance of wild boar across Europe. 

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.