Vietnam develops anti-African swine fever vaccine

A farmer sterilises her pig farm. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – A vaccine against African swine fever (AFS) virus by the Vietnam
Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) has produced initial
on experimental scale, unveiled Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)
Nguyen Xuan Cuong.

Cuong
released the information at a conference held by the ministry on July 2 to
review research outcomes of tested vaccines and probiotics to prevent and curb
AFS so far.

He noted
that the NAVETCO National Veterinary JSC and Regional Animal Health Office No.6
(RAHO6) have jointly carried out several researches.

He said the
RAHO6 has so far collected samples of infected pigs surviving the disease,
meaning there could be a type of pig that is able to adapt to the virus. The
sample will be sent to international for further
research.

These
measures are on the right track and Vietnam is likely to soon produce the
vaccine for AFS, Cuong stated.

Nguyen Thi
Lan, director of the VAAS, said its research teams have created a new vaccine
that has been piloted in three pig farms in Hung Yen, Ha Nam and Thai Binh
provinces.

Of the total
vaccinated animals, 16 out of 18 sows and all 15 pigs for meat are in healthy
condition after two months, with some of the sows giving birth to healthy
piglets. Meanwhile, all unvaccinated pigs have died of AFS virus infection.

Lan said the
vaccine is tested to be safe for the animal.

Nguyen Xuan
Duong, head of the Department of Livestock Production, said the use of
probiotics in animal feed and of biosafety measures could limit the spread of
AFS disease among farms.

Such
measures have been applied in farms with scales of up to 500 heads.

He
recommended the MARD and localities come up with policies to encourage the
replication of the probiotics and biosafety application in pig production.

The AFS
disease, first discovered in Hung Yen on February 1 this year, has to date
spread to 61 provinces and cities nationwide. As a result, more than 2.9
million pigs or 10 percent of the country’s pig population were culled. The
risk of future outbreaks remains high, posing a big threat to the industry.-VNA