Abstract

African Swine Fever (ASF) was first described in Africa in 1921 and reached China in 2018. It eventually reached other Asian countries including the Philippines in 2019. Despite the efforts of the Philippine government to mitigate its spread, cases have been observed in 64 of the 81 provinces across 17 regions. Vaccine field trials done in the Philippines have promising results. Yet, until now, no vaccine has been made commercially available.

Efforts to develop a commercial vaccine against ASF have been hindered by the complex and genetically diverse nature of the ASF virus (ASFV). ASFV has evolved strategies to evade the host’s immune response, inhibiting antigen presentation and infecting immune cells. The genetic variability among ASFV strains further complicates vaccine development, as different strains may require specific vaccine approaches. Despite challenges, progress has been made with live attenuated vaccines showing promise.

However, concern regarding safety, reversion to virulence and limited efficacy against multiple genotypes persist. Strategies such comprehensive safety evaluations, surveillance, combination control measures, and public awareness is recommended to address the spread of ASF. A vaccination drive targeting prevalent strains in specific regions may provide partial protection but requires ongoing surveillance and complementation with other control measures.

Keywords

African swine fever; African swine fever virus; ASF vaccine; ASF in the Philippines

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