7-6-2023 (HANOI) Vietnam is on the brink of approving vaccines against African swine fever, according to global and United States veterinary officials. This development could be a significant breakthrough in combating the deadly animal disease that has been wreaking havoc on pig farms worldwide.
African swine fever has caused major disruptions in the global pork market, with losses estimated at over $100 billion during the worst outbreak in 2018-19. In China, the largest pork producer globally, approximately half of the domestic pig population perished due to the disease.
After years of unsuccessful attempts due to the virus’s complexity, two vaccines co-developed by US scientists are undergoing large-scale pilot testing by Vietnamese companies. These vaccines have shown “very promising” results, stated Gregorio Torres, the head of the science department at the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), in an interview with Reuters.
Torres expressed optimism, saying that the vaccines have the highest chances of success and potential worldwide authorization for sale. Both vaccines have already received approval in Vietnam for pilot commercial use, marking a significant milestone. The next crucial step is nationwide authorization, which would be the first-ever for an African swine fever vaccine, potentially leading to international sales.
Even though the United States has been fortunate enough to avoid the virus thus far, US Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack mentioned the possibility of precautionary purchases of the Vietnamese vaccines, highlighting the specific interest in such a measure.
The vaccines were tested in Vietnam, where African swine fever poses a constant threat, as they couldn’t be developed in the US due to the absence of the virus in the country.
Since 2021, African swine fever, which is not harmful to humans, has been reported in nearly 50 countries and has resulted in approximately 1.3 million pig deaths, as reported by WOAH in a recent update. While there are currently no major outbreaks, Rabobank, an agribusiness lender, warned in April that the potential spread of the disease, especially in China, remains one of the top risks for the global pork industry.
