Classical swine fever in The Netherlands 1997-1998: a description of organisation and measures to eradicate the disease.

The central and regional organisation of the campaign to eradicate the CSF epidemic in The Netherlands in 1997/1998 is described. The main instruments used in the campaign were based on stamping-out and movement restrictions specified by the European Union. Additional instruments were used for the first time, namely, pre-emptive culling of contact and neighbouring farms, compartmentalisation of transport, monthly serological screening in established surveillance areas and supervised repopulation of all farms in the former surveillance zone. Two other measures, the killing of very young piglets and a breeding ban were introduced to reduce production in established surveillance zones. Several factors complicated the eradication campaign, for instance, the late detection of the first infection; artificial insemination as a source of infection; the organisation of pig farming in The Netherlands, with its highly concentrated production and dependence on the transport of stock from one unit to another; insufficient rendering capacity; decreasing sensitivity of clinical inspection; and extremely high costs.