. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/966 
16 October 2009 
 
 (09-5102) 
Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
 
 
COSTA RICA DECLARES ITSELF FREE 
FROM CLASSICAL SWINE FEVER 
 
Communication from Costa Rica  
 
 
The following communication, received on 15 Octobe r 2009, is being circulated at the request 
of the delegation of Costa Rica . 
 
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 1. According to the official records kept by Costa Rica's National Animal Health Service 
(SENASA), there has been no confirmed case of classical  swine fever (hereinafter referred to as CSF) 
in the country for more than ten years.  The last reported occurrence of CSF was in 1997 and resulted 
in the sanitary slaughter of all animals infected with , suspected of carrying, or exposed to the virus in 
the village of México in the canton of Upala (Huetar Norte region). 
2. The Costa Rican government, through SENASA, has developed a series of surveillance, 
control, prevention and eradication measures, such as training for the staff concerned and the creation 
of both a surveillance programme and a nationa l swine health programme run by high-level 
professionals. 
3. The control measures adopted include the im plementation of modern and highly sensitive 
diagnostic tests by the veterinary services laboratory (LANASEVE), such as ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and PCR (polymerase chain reaction). 
4. Furthermore, a programme has been establishe d with five basic principles, as follows: 
• CSF is a notifiable disease within nationa l territory in accord ance with Executive 
Decree No. 23368-MAG of 14 June 1994, am ended pursuant to Executive Decree 
No. 24407-MAG of 8 June 1995, and Executive Decree No. 34669-MAG of 8 July 2008, published in Official Journal La Gaceta  No. 156 of 13 August 2008;  the 
latter lists the notifiable animal diseases, incl uding CSF, and reiterates that all citizens 
are legally bound to report cases of CSF. 
 
• The active surveillance measures include an  early detection system.  SENASA has 
conducted specific serological studies in order to detect or eliminate infection by the CSF virus throughout the whole country and has thus ensured, by means of a rigorous semi-annual sampling system, ongoing active epidemiological surveillance throughout Costa Rica, in particular in the Northern Zone and on the northern border, which represent a high sanitary risk. 
 G/SPS/GEN/966 
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  • Measures have been taken to prevent th e introduction of the disease by means of 
stringent import and quarantine controls.  SENASA's Department of Animal Quarantine is responsible for laying down the requirements governing the importation, exportation and transit of an imals and products and by-products of 
animal origin subject to veterinary contro l which are to be applied at the country's 
various points of entry and exit, in comp liance with international agreements and 
existing Costa Rican legislation, thus constitu ting the first level of control to prevent 
the entry and spread of disease causal agents. 
 
• No vaccinations are given against the disease, rather other sanitary measures are 
adopted, such as prohibition of the use of CSF vaccines, passive surveillance through 
the follow-up of all reported, suspected a nd detected cases, and active surveillance 
through targeted sampling. 
 
• The disease is not known to exist in the country's wild animal populations.  OIE data 
reveal no epidemiological link as far as CSF is concerned between peccaries (wild animals found in Costa Rica) and domestic pigs.  According to a clarification issued by the OIE, only the species Sus scrofa  is susceptible to CSF;  peccaries belong to the 
species Tayassuidae and are not therefore considered susceptible to CSF. 
 5. As stipulated by the OIE, a State or region must basically comply with the above-mentioned 
requirements in order to have CSF-free status;  consequently, in accordance with established 
international standards, Costa Rica meets the nec essary requirements and therefore declares itself to 
be a "country free from classical swine fever". 
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