Context: Union Agriculture Minister, in the presence of Union Minister, dedicated India’s first indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine to the nation on ICAR Foundation Day.
About The Indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine:
What It Is?
- It is India’s first MA-104 cell line-based live-attenuated vaccine developed to immunize pigs against African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV Genotype II). The vaccine utilizes a novel attenuated virus with targeted gene deletions to stimulate protective immunity without causing disease.
Developed By:
- Lead Research Institution: ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal.
Aim: To curb high mortality rates (approaching 100%) caused by African Swine Fever, eliminate the need for mass culling, safeguard rural livelihoods—especially in North-East India—and strengthen national biosecurity and livestock health.
Key Features:
- Non-Proprietary Cell Line: Built on the widely accessible MA-104 cell line, avoiding reliance on expensive, patented proprietary manufacturing platforms used in imported alternatives.
- Standardized Dosing Schedule: Recommended for healthy pigs over 8 weeks of age, administered as a 1 mL intramuscular injection followed by a single booster dose 14 days after the primary shot.
- High Scalability & Low Production Cost: Designed for simple mass production, dramatically bringing down manufacturing costs compared to foreign vaccine formulations.
- Comprehensive Lab & Field Validation: Underwent rigorous testing for sterility, purity, safety, genetic stability, immunogenicity, virulence reversion, and real-world field efficacy.
- Targeted Genotype Protection: Specially engineered to combat ASFV Genotype II, the predominant viral strain responsible for severe outbreaks across Indian states since 2020.
Significance:
- Prevents massive losses from ASF outbreaks, safeguarding small pig farmers and tribal livelihoods, especially in Northeast India.
- Strengthens indigenous vaccine production and positions India as a potential exporter of affordable ASF vaccines to Asia and Africa.
