Advanced Strategies for Developing Vaccines and Diagnostic Tools for African Swine Fever

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Animal Health

Background:

• African swine fever (ASF) poses a significant global threat to the swine industry, affecting domestic pigs and wild boars.
• The African swine fever virus (ASFV) exhibits complex genome structure and diverse variants, leading to immune evasion and lack of approved vaccines or treatments.
• ASF has a long history of continental spread, causing substantial economic losses worldwide.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an updated review of current vaccine platforms for ASF, with a focus on genetically modified live attenuated vaccines.
• To present advanced technologies for ASFV detection, addressing limitations of conventional methods.
• To highlight innovative solutions, such as nano-bio-based systems, for improved diagnostics and control strategies.

Main Methods:

• Review of global vaccine platforms, emphasizing genetically modified live attenuated vaccines.
• Analysis of advanced ASFV detection technologies and their challenges.
• Exploration of nano-bio-based systems for enhanced diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Main Results:

• Genetically modified live attenuated vaccines show potential but face limitations in safety and stability.
• Advanced detection technologies offer improved sensitivity and specificity over conventional methods.
• Nano-bio-based systems present a promising approach for rapid and accurate ASFV diagnostics.

Conclusions:

• A combination of prophylactic vaccines and point-of-care diagnostics is crucial for effective ASF control.
• Continued research into vaccine platforms and diagnostic tools is essential to manage ASFV.
• Addressing challenges in vaccine stability and diagnostic accessibility will aid in mitigating the impact of ASF.