Highly contagious virus that affects domestic and wild pigs — but is harmless to humans — has devastated livestock around the world in recent years
01 June 2022 - 18:47
byPhuong Nguyen
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Hanoi —Vietnam said on Wednesday it had successfully developed a vaccine to fight African swine fever, with the aim of becoming the first country to commercially produce and export the shots.
African swine fever, one of the most devastating livestock diseases, was first detected in Vietnam in February 2019 and forced the country to cull about 20% of its hog herd last year.
The virus — harmless to humans — originated in Africa before spreading to Europe and Asia and has killed hundreds of millions of pigs globally.
“This is a milestone of the veterinary industry,” deputy agriculture minister Phung Duc Tien said in a statement. “With immunity lasting six months, the vaccine will be a shield for hog-raising industry and pig production globally.”
The vaccine has been in development since November 2019 in partnership with US experts, with five clinical trials held. Its safety and efficacy was confirmed by the Agricultural Research Service under the US Department of Agriculture, Tien said.
“This success opens great expectations and the room to export African swine fever vaccine produced in Vietnam is huge,” Tien added.
He did not say when the vaccine could be exported or give an estimate of Vietnam’s production capacity.
Although the swine fever outbreak has subsided in Vietnam, allowing farmers to rebuild hog herds, the virus is still affecting farms in several countries.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Vietnam develops African swine fever vaccine
Highly contagious virus that affects domestic and wild pigs — but is harmless to humans — has devastated livestock around the world in recent years
Hanoi —Vietnam said on Wednesday it had successfully developed a vaccine to fight African swine fever, with the aim of becoming the first country to commercially produce and export the shots.
African swine fever, one of the most devastating livestock diseases, was first detected in Vietnam in February 2019 and forced the country to cull about 20% of its hog herd last year.
The virus — harmless to humans — originated in Africa before spreading to Europe and Asia and has killed hundreds of millions of pigs globally.
“This is a milestone of the veterinary industry,” deputy agriculture minister Phung Duc Tien said in a statement. “With immunity lasting six months, the vaccine will be a shield for hog-raising industry and pig production globally.”
The vaccine has been in development since November 2019 in partnership with US experts, with five clinical trials held. Its safety and efficacy was confirmed by the Agricultural Research Service under the US Department of Agriculture, Tien said.
“This success opens great expectations and the room to export African swine fever vaccine produced in Vietnam is huge,” Tien added.
He did not say when the vaccine could be exported or give an estimate of Vietnam’s production capacity.
Although the swine fever outbreak has subsided in Vietnam, allowing farmers to rebuild hog herds, the virus is still affecting farms in several countries.
Reuters
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