USDA potentially finds an ASF vaccine

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has potentially found a vaccine to fight African swine fever, a disease that devastated pigs in China, was recently identified in the Dominican Republic, and even in Haiti. According to a posting on the agency's website, officials say the vaccine is "promising." According to the study, it develops disease resistance in one third of pigs within two weeks, and in all animals within four weeks. "This could play an important role in tackling the ongoing outbreak that threatens global pork supplies," said USDA study co-author Douglas Glade. US researchers will continue to determine the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in a commercial setting. They are now working with a commercial partner, Navetko National Veterinary Joint Stock Company, based in Vietnam. To date, the USDA has successfully developed and patented five experimental ASF vaccines and issued seven licenses to pharmaceutical companies to research them. ...