Viet Nam successfully produces African swine fever vaccine
VGP - NAVET-ASFVAC, a Vietnamese-made commercial vaccine for African swine fever (ASF) will be marketed in the next few days at an estimated price of VND 34,000-36,000 (US$ 1.36-1.55) per dose with protective time of six months, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
Trial doses of NAVET-ASFVAC, a Vietnamese-made commercial vaccine for African swine fever - Illustration photo
The vaccine was announced Wednesday at the MARD's press briefing on research outcomes and production of African swine fever vaccine.
The ministry is expected to permit the vaccine to be circulated on June 3, for both domestic use and export.
The vaccine is developed by Dabaco Group thanks to the transfer of biological products from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research center for exotic species diseases.
The U.S. has studied the virus for a decade and in 2020, Viet Nam requested the US to transfer genetically-altered samples of the virus it has developed to facilitate vaccine production.
First diagnosed in Kenya over 100 years ago, ASF is prevalent in many countries.
It is currently present in around a dozen countries across Asia. The epidemic has been widespread in Viet Nam since that time and has killed almost 10 million pigs in the country, causing damage worth an estimated US$1.3 billion for households and hus
Statistics published by the MARD’s Department of Animal Health (DAH) in 2021 showed that ASF broke out in over 3,100 communes in 60 cities and provinces, with the culling of nearly 300,000 pigs – triple the figure of 2020.
Since early this year, the disease has appeared in 321 communes in 36 cities and provinces, forcing the culling of nearly 20,000 pigs.
Pork consumption in the country is forecasted to reach 3.4 million tonnes this year, with an annual growth rate of 3.1 percent in 2022-30 following reopening of restaurants, schools, and factories./.
