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Medical Definition of African swine fever virus
1. The lone species of the genus african swine fever-like viruses. The virus causes a fatal disease among domestic pigs in africa and a less virulent infection in europe. The virus is present in soft ticks (ornithodoros moubata), warthogs, or domestic pigs. Originally listed as a species of iridoviridae, the virus exhibits some similarities to poxviridae but its differences warranted placement in a separate genus of an, as yet unknown, family. (12 Dec 1998)