African Swine Fever: Vaccine Advancement and Major Gaps

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• African swine fever (ASF), caused by ASFV, is a devastating global swine disease.
• Current control relies on detection, culling, and biosecurity, highlighting the need for vaccines.
• Recent outbreaks emphasize the urgency for effective ASF vaccines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in African swine fever vaccine research.
• To identify critical obstacles impeding the development of safe and effective ASF vaccines.
• To summarize progress and challenges in ASF vaccine development.

Main Methods:

• This study is a narrative review of existing literature on ASF vaccine research.
• It synthesizes information on various vaccine strategies explored since the 1960s.
• The review analyzes knowledge gaps and challenges in ASFV vaccine development.

Main Results:

• Inactivated and subunit vaccines have shown limited efficacy against ASFV.
• Live attenuated virus (LAV) vaccines demonstrate the most potential for robust immune responses.
• Significant knowledge gaps exist in ASFV biology, host interactions, and immune evasion.

Conclusions:

• Overcoming challenges in ASFV biology, immunology, and vaccine production is essential.
• Addressing issues like virulence reversion and lack of standardized efficacy testing is crucial.
• Further research is needed to develop safe, broadly protective ASF vaccines.