How long can African swine fever survive in water?

The African swine fever virus is a tough survivor, especially in cold or dirty water. Scientists tested how long it can stay active in different water conditions. They found that in natural water, the virus lasted at least 42 days at temperatures of 4°C, 15°C, and 25°C. In very clean water, it survived even longer—up to 154 days at colder temperatures. Warmer water (25°C) started to weaken the virus, but organic matter like animal waste helped it survive much longer than expected.Another surprising discovery was that the virus’s genetic material stayed stable even when the virus itself was inactive. This means just detecting the virus’s DNA doesn’t always mean it’s still dangerous. For disinfection, a strong chlorine-based cleaner called sodium dichloroisocyanurate worked well, but only if used in high enough doses. Weak concentrations, especially in cold water, struggled to kill the virus effectively. These findings show that African swine fever is harder to control in water than many people might think. Farmers and health officials need to use the right amounts of disinfectant to keep it in check.