Scientists from The Pirbright Institute and City University of Hong Kong have led the development of the first international guidelines for the field evaluation and post-vaccination monitoring of African swine fever virus (ASFV) vaccines.
Produced to strengthen disease control amongst World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) members, the guidelines address gaps in field evaluation of African swine fever (ASF), a devastating transboundary disease affecting both domestic and wild pigs.
Originating in sub-Saharan Africa, ASF has spread rapidly over a decade to Asia, Europe and parts of the Caribbean, threatening food security and undermining livelihoods.
“The need for reliable field data on vaccine safety and performance under field conditions has become increasingly urgent,” said Dr Georgina Limon-Vega, Group Leader in Applied Epidemiology at The Pirbright Institute.
Commercially produced live attenuated virus (LAV) vaccines for ASF control have recently received regulatory approval in South East Asian countries and are being integrated into control strategies. However, field evaluation research and post vaccination monitoring remains limited. Regulatory and post-approval monitoring processes for veterinary vaccines vary between regions leading to inconsistencies and gaps in data.
The WOAH guidelines aim to address these challenges, providing WOAH members with a practical tool for conducting reliable field evaluations that generate ‘real-world’ evidence on vaccine safety and efficacy, supporting informed regulatory decisions and effective vaccination programmes.
The guidelines apply specifically to domestic pigs and support veterinary services, regulatory authorities and competent bodies considering ASF vaccine rollout.
“The practical framework can be tailored to local epidemiological and production contexts, reinforcing the importance of aligning vaccination strategies with national and regional ASF prevention and control objectives, and along with other control measures” added Dr Limon-Vega.
The guidelines have been developed with input from the Ad Hoc group formed by WOAH which included a team of people from international organizations, academia, industry and local governments.
The Pirbright Institute is a world-leading research centre dedicated to improving the control of viral diseases of livestock and enhancing global food security and animal health through scientific innovation and international collaboration. For more information, visit www.pirbright.ac.uk.