Use of Illegal ASF Vaccines in China Causing Worldwide Concern

The Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center says the use of illegal vaccines to deal with African Swine Fever in China is cause for concern worldwide

by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online

As part of its February newsletter the Swine Health Information Center outlines the concerns raised by the use of unapproved African Swine Fever vaccines in China.

SHIC Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg says the Chinese are working to repopulate their breeding herd as best they can and some farms are having success but African Swine Fever is still circulating and there are still issues with outbreaks and at least some of those outbreaks are thought to be linked to the use of vaccines that haven’t been proven safe or efficacious.

“The pigs continue to shed, they still continue to spread ASF, they continue to get infected and that certainly is of concern for China as well as around the world“

“There are a number of different vaccines that are being used or tried. The ones that are the main concern have two genes deleted and that’s the type of vaccine that is causing infections, it’s causing pathology and it is truthfully keeping pigs alive.

“If you can keep pigs alive in China that’s a win but it also is causing continued circulation and it’s also causing more chronic infections which is a real issue.

“The pigs continue to shed, they still continue to spread ASF, they continue to get infected and that certainly is of concern for China as well as around the world with the possibility of that type of virus also circulating in other countries.

“So that’s one thing about two gene deleted vaccines.

“The government is trying to crack down on their use but that’s what’s causing at least some of the problem.

“There’s still wild virus circulating in China and that’s still causing trouble but this gene deleted vaccine issue in China is of special concern.”

The Swine Health Information Center’s report on ASF and the use of unapproved vaccines can be found at swinehealth.org.

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