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

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.