# Passengers as Pathways: Behavioral Evidence on Travelers’ Knowledge of African Swine Fever Introduction Through Pork Products

## TL;DR

This study shows that many travelers are unaware of how transporting pork products can spread African swine fever, risking its reintroduction in disease-free areas like Sardinia.

## Contribution

The study introduces behavioral surveys as a novel tool to assess and mitigate the risk of disease reintroduction through traveler actions.

## Key findings

- Approximately 95% of travelers were unaware of African swine fever.
- About 10% of travelers reported transporting pork products, often from infected regions.
- Improper disposal of food waste in rural areas increases the risk of disease transmission to wildlife.

## Abstract

Though it does not pose a risk to human health, African swine fever is deadly to pigs and wild boar and can lead to severe economic losses; tourists can unintentionally contribute to its spread by transporting pork products during international travel. Countries with high tourism rates may therefore be exposed to new risks of introduction. In this study, an anonymous questionnaire was administered at airports in Sardinia (Italy) to explore travelers’ awareness of the disease and their food transport-related habits. The results showed that knowledge of African swine fever among international travelers was very limited. Approximately one in ten travelers reported transporting pork products for personal consumption, often without being aware of the possible consequences. Tourist-related travel may further increase the risk of African swine fever when staying in rural or natural areas where wild boar are present; the improper disposal of food waste may lead to contact between contaminated products and wildlife. These findings highlight the importance of improving communication and awareness at airports to help prevent the reintroduction of animal diseases in order to protect livestock, wildlife, and food systems.

Increased international trade and tourist flows are key factors in the introduction of transboundary animal diseases such as African swine fever (ASF). Despite the availability of sufficiently detailed data on legal commercial trade, the movement of pork products intended for personal consumption is insufficiently reported and difficult to track when carried in passenger luggage, and may act as an introduction pathway. In this study, we analyze the risk of ASF reintroduction in Sardinia, an island that has recently achieved disease-free status after a long epidemic. An anonymous questionnaire on travelers’ awareness of ASF and their food transportation habits was administered at the main Sardinian airports between July and December 2025, and a total of 6525 responses were received. The results show a low level of knowledge regarding ASF, with approximately 95% of respondents stating they were unaware of the disease, while almost 10% of travelers reported having transported meat or other pork products, often originating from countries where the virus is circulating. Our investigation highlights how passenger flows, especially during the seasonal peak, could act as a vector for potential disease reintroduction through the transport of pork products. The results stress that the adoption of behavioral survey tools is essential to supplement traditional surveillance systems, highlighting the need to improve targeted communication strategies at both ports and airports in order to reduce the risk of virus reintroduction and protect regional livestock.