A novel vaccine to prevent African swine fever (ASF) developed by USDA-APHIS scientists at the Plum Island Research Laboratory and manufactured and tested in Vietnam will be shipped to the Philippines. AVAC, the manufacture in Vietnam has announced sales to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Myanmar. The vaccine was tested for safety and efficacy in 17 provinces in Vietnam. The roll-out was initially impacted by apparent improper administration but according to the Department of Agriculture in Vietnam the vaccine is ready to market. Value will be demonstrated only following extensive field application. AVAC is producing between two and three million doses each month with plans to expand to five million depending on export orders.
Navetco the Central Veterinary Medicine Company of Vietnam has also produced an ASF vaccine based on the USDA platform. This product is currently under test in the Dominican Republic where ASF has become endemic. A previous attempt by the USDA to eradicate ASF in neighboring Haiti applying stamping out was unsuccessful and this nation will also have to adopt a vaccination strategy, given the futility of basing control on unenforceable quarantine and defective biosecurity. The quicker ASF can be controlled in the Caribbean the more secure will be the U.S. pork industry. This contention is based on proximity to areas of endemic infection with opportunities to introduce the virus into Puerto Rico and the continental U.S. Administrators at USDA-APHIS should be at least reassured that pigs cannot fly.
Notwithstanding the assurances issued by AVAC, the World Organization of Animal Health has warned against using vaccines of ‘unproven safety’. The Agency in addressing risks of ‘sub-standard vaccines’ emphasized that it was not specifically addressing any available product.
The WOAH has not established standards for ASF vaccines despite the fact that the disease has caused serious losses for over five years. The Agency expects to issue standards following the General Assembly in May 2024.
Until a safe and effective vaccine is available and deployed in Asia, eastern Europe and the Caribbean, ASF will continue to reduce output sustaining a demand for chicken meat.