The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that one of the candidates for the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) vaccine has been shown to prevent and effectively protect both European and Asian pig breeds against the current circulating Asian strain of the virus.

This was reported by the press service of the USDA. 

“Most of the pigs used in the global diet are produced in Asia, where the virus is causing outbreaks and devastating losses for the pig industry. African swine fever (ASF) was first discovered in 2007 in the Republic of Georgia and is known to cause virulent, fatal disease outbreaks in wild and domesticated pigs,” the report said. 

Since the first outbreak, ASF has had a widespread and lethal impact on pigs in various countries in Eastern Europe and throughout Asia. 

“Recently published USDA study, highlighted in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, shows that ARS scientists have developed a vaccine candidate with commercial production potential while maintaining vaccine efficacy against Asian ASF strains when tested in both European and Asian breeds. pigs. The findings also show that a commercial partner can replicate the results of the experimental level and prevent the spread of the virus,” the department said. 

Previous studies were conducted in vitro only in pigs raised in Europe using an isolate or ASFV sample from the initial outbreak. 

“We are delighted that our team's research has yielded promising vaccine results that can be commercially replicated for a variety of pig breeds. This signals that an attenuated live substance vaccine candidate has an important role to play in the fight against the current outbreak that threatens global pork supplies,” comments Douglas Glad, an ARS researcher.

Thus, immunity was found in about a third of pigs by the second week after vaccination, and full protection in all pigs was achieved by the fourth week. The commercial vaccine against ASF will be an important part of the control in the outbreak areas. The researchers will continue to determine the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in a commercial production setting and will work closely with their commercial partner in Vietnam. 

“To date, ARS has successfully developed and patented five experimental ASF vaccines and has fully completed seven licenses with pharmaceutical companies to develop vaccines. ARS continues to evaluate additional commercial partners for the development of these vaccines,” the agency concluded.

Let us remind you that prices on the market for live bait of pigs increased by 2%.

Agravery