India Launches First Indigenous African Swine Fever Vaccine

India Launches First Indigenous African Swine Fever Vaccine

#GS-3 #Science & Technology #Biotechnology #Economy #Agriculture #Current Events #National #African Swine Fever

Why in News

  • The Union Agriculture Minister officially dedicated India's first indigenous vaccine against African Swine Fever to the nation on ICAR Foundation Day.

About the Indigenous ASF Vaccine

  • This vaccine is India's first MA-104 cell line-based live-attenuated vaccine created to protect pigs against ASFV Genotype II.
  • It uses a specially modified virus with targeted gene deletions to trigger protective immunity without making the animal sick.

Developer Institution

  • Scientists at the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD) in Bhopal led the research and development of this vaccine.

Aim of the Vaccine

  • The vaccine aims to prevent pig death rates that reach nearly 100% during outbreaks.
  • It eliminates the requirement for mass culling of infected pig populations.
  • It protects rural and tribal livelihoods, with a major focus on supporting farmers across Northeast India.
  • It strengthens national biosecurity and boosts overall livestock health management.

Key Features

  • The formulation uses the accessible MA-104 cell line, which avoids costly patented manufacturing systems from foreign vendors.
  • Veterinarians recommend administering a 1 mL intramuscular injection to healthy pigs above 8 weeks of age, followed by a booster shot after 14 days.
  • Simple production techniques lower manufacturing costs significantly compared to imported vaccine options.
  • Researchers validated the vaccine through exhaustive lab and field trials to verify safety, purity, genetic stability, and protective strength.
  • The vaccine provides targeted protection against ASFV Genotype II, which has driven pig disease outbreaks across Indian states since 2020.

Significance

  • The vaccine prevents huge financial losses for small-scale pig farmers and tribal communities, especially in Northeast India where pig farming is widespread.
  • This achievement showcases domestic biotechnology capabilities and prepares India to export affordable livestock vaccines to countries across Asia and Africa.