African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large, complex,
deoxivirus producing a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease in pigs of all breeds and ages.
ASF is a notifiable disease, with the potential for rapid dissemination and significant socioeconomic consequences. Such was the case in Spain, where the ASF eradication program (1985–1995) cost an estimated $100 million dollars (Arias and Snchez-Vizcano 2002b) .