African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to pose a significant threat to swine populations in North America, raising concerns among farmers and industry stakeholders. The disease, endemic to much of Africa, has led to horrific outbreaks. These outbreaks have wreaked havoc on pig production in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The U.S. swine industry has more than $27 billion gross cash receipts annually. At the same time, Canada’s swine industry is forecast to bring in CAD $6.3 billion in 2024. The economic impact of ASF will be vast and far-reaching.
Recent research into an African Swine Fever vaccine candidate has revealed promising results against certain virus strains, yet it highlights the ongoing challenges of achieving broad protection. The vaccine provided only partial protection, allowing survival of only ~80% of vaccinated pigs challenged with a genetically divergent Ghana strain. It was ineffective against other strains previously isolated from Malawi, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda. That’s why experts have been exploring innovative vaccine strategies. Important questions still remain about their efficacy against these different ASF strains.
Economic Impact of African Swine Fever
African Swine Fever is not just a risk to pigs. It’s a public health threat. It’s not just an environmental problem either. It’s an economic crisis for all of North America. Making the case The swine industry in the United States is an economic powerhouse. It creates tens of billions of dollars in economic activity each year via manufacturing and trade. A serious outbreak of ASF could jeopardize this vital industry, leading to cascading effects on food supply chains, employment, and related businesses.
Just like in the U.S., the pig industry is a vital component of the Canadian economy. In 2024, contributions soared to a record CAD $6.3 billion. Yet any disruption wrought by ASF will echo through many communities, affecting sectors from farming to food manufacturing. The threat of an outbreak—if biosecurity efforts fail—increases concern for public health and biosecurity practices. We need to deploy prevention strategies that work in order to protect these crucial economic drivers.
Challenges of Vaccine Development
Even with the progress that has been made in vaccine development, a comprehensive solution that works for every affected country is still far off in the distance. The difficulty of the virus as well as its ongoing rapid evolution require a rethinking of the vaccine business as usual. That’s why experts have been calling for vaccines specific to each region, developed to fight the unique strains found in different parts of the world.
The immune responses induced by the recent vaccine candidate were robust, but that was not enough when faced with genetically distinct, divergent strains. For example, two viruses with the same p72 sequence—Georgia2010 and Pret4—resulted drastically different lesions in vaccinated pigs. These differences highlight both the need to understand the genetic diversity of ASF and approach vaccines based on that with a varied strategy.
Rethinking Vaccine Strategies
While researchers continue to evaluate the efficacy of the vaccine candidates currently piloted, they argue for a full redesign of ASF vaccine approaches. The mixed results seen with the latest vaccine underscore the need for continued research and development. Creating region-specific vaccines could provide improved defense against strains prevalent in specific areas, preventing local outbreaks from spreading into broader communities.
African Swine Fever (ASF) remains a significant risk to global pig herds, including those in North America. We need to work together as a top priority to increase research and development in this critical field. That’s why experts say a comprehensive, long-term strategy is crucial to combating this insidious disease. Integrating vaccination efforts alongside more robust biosecurity practices will be a game-changer.