Preliminary genetic analyses indicate that the African swine fever virus killing 29 wild boars in Barcelona did not originate from the nearby Generalitat laboratory. Scientists compared the DNA and found mutations suggesting years of separate evolution. However, the results are not conclusive, with further tests pending.
The scientific team led by Toni Gabaldón from the Barcelona Institute of Biomedical Research presented a preliminary report on Tuesday comparing the DNA of the virus found in wild boars with samples from the Animal Health Research Center (CReSA) in Bellaterra. The results show that the pathogen in the animals has a high number of mutations compared to those in the lab, which does not fit a recent escape. "They are strains of the same virus, but apparently separated by years of evolution, not days," the scientists explained.
The first infected wild boar carcass was found on November 25 just hundreds of meters from the CReSA, which was experimenting with the virus to develop a vaccine. The Ministry of Agriculture suggested a possible leak on December 5, leading to a raid on the lab by Mossos d'Esquadra and the Civil Guard on December 18. The virus belongs to a new genetic group, previously unknown, similar to the 2007 Georgia strain but with notable differences.
Agriculture Counselor Òscar Ordeig called for "prudence" in a press conference and highlighted the potential impact on Catalonia's agri-food sector, though 80% of countries have accepted export regionalization. Veterinarian Christian Gortázar from the Institute of Game Resources Research warned that all hypotheses remain open: "The only thing we know is that the virus does not match 19 CReSA samples. Ruling it out 100% is almost as hard as confirming it."
The CReSA, under construction since September, passed an external audit confirming its suitability for handling pathogens. Nineteen lab samples have been analyzed, with two pending. The outbreak has been contained to 29 wild boars, without affecting pig farms.
