Vietnam announces that it has developed a vaccine against African pig plague

African swine plague, harmless to humans, but devastating for livestock, was detected for the first time in Vietnam in February 2019.

Le Monde with AFP

This is a world premiere. Vietnam announced on Wednesday 1 June to have developed, in partnership with American researchers, a vaccine to be administered to pigs to fight against African pig plague. Friday, the Vietnamese authorities should issue an authorization to market the vaccine for Vietnam only.

But Hanoi also wishes to be able to sell it abroad, in order to help countries where the epidemic wreaks havoc in the herds. “The production of the vaccine is a historic event (…). We are also aiming for export,” said the vice-minister of agriculture on Wednesday, Phung Duc Tien. He did not give a calendar for export or estimate on the production capacity of Vietnam.

African swine plague, harmless to humans, but devastating for livestock, was detected for the first time in Vietnam in February 2019. Since then, the country has had to shoot millions of animals. Until now, no commercial vaccine has been available worldwide to prevent this disease.

a six -month immunity duration

The Vietnamese vaccine has been developed since 2020 in partnership with American experts. Five clinical trials took place. “Its duration of immunity is six months,” said Mr. Tien. Its safety and effectiveness have been confirmed by the agricultural research service under the US Ministry of Agriculture, he said.

Although the Porcine plague epidemic has regressed in Vietnam, allowing farmers to reconstruct their herds, the virus continues to wreak havoc in certain regions of the world.

Between January 2020 and April 2022, more than 1.1 million cases, reported in 35 countries spread over five continents, have been listed in domestic pigs, according to data from the World Organization for Animal Health (Goose).

/Media reports.