A trial vaccine developed by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has been shown to prevent and provide effective protection against the current African swine fever (ASF) strain circulating in Asia and parts of Europe.
Newly published USDA research, reported in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, shows that the US scientists have developed a possible vaccine that could be commercially produced.
The vaccine has shown efficacy against Asian ASF virus strains when tested in both European and Asian breeds of pigs.
Experimental results
The findings also show that a commercial partner can replicate experimental level results and prevent the spread of the virus.
Previous studies were done under laboratory conditions only in European-bred pigs using an ASF isolate, or sample, from the initial outbreak.
The onset of immunity was revealed in approximately one-third of the trial swine by second week post-vaccination, with full protection in all swine achieved by the fourth week.
EU Commission map showing areas of Europe where restrictions are in place due to African Swine Fever, 4 October, 2021.
"We are excited that our team's research has resulted in promising vaccine results that are able to be repeated on a commercial level, in different pig breeds, and by using a recent ASF isolate," said ARS researcher Douglas Gladue.
"This signals that the live attenuated vaccine candidate could play an important role in controlling the ongoing outbreak threatening the global pork supply," he said.
Read more
African swine fever: what is it and what can we do?
A trial vaccine developed by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has been shown to prevent and provide effective protection against the current African swine fever (ASF) strain circulating in Asia and parts of Europe.
Newly published USDA research, reported in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, shows that the US scientists have developed a possible vaccine that could be commercially produced.
The vaccine has shown efficacy against Asian ASF virus strains when tested in both European and Asian breeds of pigs.
Experimental results
The findings also show that a commercial partner can replicate experimental level results and prevent the spread of the virus.
Previous studies were done under laboratory conditions only in European-bred pigs using an ASF isolate, or sample, from the initial outbreak.
The onset of immunity was revealed in approximately one-third of the trial swine by second week post-vaccination, with full protection in all swine achieved by the fourth week.
EU Commission map showing areas of Europe where restrictions are in place due to African Swine Fever, 4 October, 2021.
"We are excited that our team's research has resulted in promising vaccine results that are able to be repeated on a commercial level, in different pig breeds, and by using a recent ASF isolate," said ARS researcher Douglas Gladue.
"This signals that the live attenuated vaccine candidate could play an important role in controlling the ongoing outbreak threatening the global pork supply," he said.
Read more
African swine fever: what is it and what can we do?
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