WOAH warns global pig industry of sub-standard ASF vaccines

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) is warning veterinary authorities and the global pig industry against the use of non-compliant and poor-quality vaccines for African swine fever (ASF). In a statement issued October 18, WOAH stressed the importance of the use of only high-quality ASF vaccines with proven efficacy and safety, and which have been subject to regulatory evaluation and approval in accordance with WOAH international standards.

“The research community has been working to develop an effective vaccine and recent announcements of modified live vaccines being approved or tested in some countries have raised hopes for the availability of new effective tools to contain the ASF epidemic,” WOAH said. The use of non-compliant and poor-quality vaccines may not confer any protection against ASF and risks spreading vaccine viruses that could result in acute or chronic disease, WOAH said. Additionally, these vaccine viruses could also recombine with field strains to generate novel strains. The world’s first ASF vaccines were authorized by Vietnam in July, when two vaccines were cleared for domestic use in pigs in the country.

Approval came after widespread testing in the country’s swine herds. The government reported the vaccines to be 95% effective. The vaccines – NAVET-ASFVAC (from Navetco National Veterinary Joint Stock Co.), and the AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine (from AVAC) — were jointly developed by U.S. scientists with two different commercial partners in Vietnam. In some other Asian countries, registration of the AVAC vaccine is underway. A third vaccine, DACOVAC-ASF2 vaccine from the Dabaco Group, is reportedly under evaluation in Vietnam. In the Philippines, applications are under consideration for the importation of four ASF vaccines. A Phase 1 trial was completed in May, and three farms in different provinces have been selected as the locations of Phase 2 field trials, the source reports. Authorities are awaiting complete documentation from a second vaccine company. In order to bring to an end the country’s four-year battle to eliminate ASF, the government has allocated PHP1.5 billion ($26.4 million) for the vaccination of the nation’s hogs.