Increasing spread of African swine fever prevalence in Vietnam

Increasing spread of African swine fever prevalence in Vietnam

Vietnam, a major pork producer, is grappling with the ongoing spread of African swine fever (ASF), a disease that primarily affects pigs. The country has reported 972 outbreaks of ASF this year, an increase from 514 reported in mid-July [1].

The African swine fever vaccine developed in Vietnam has been in commercial use since 2023 and has demonstrated high effectiveness, with proven protection rates between 97% and 99% [5]. However, its widespread implementation faces significant challenges.

Vaccine Effectiveness

Vietnamese ASF vaccines, particularly produced by AVAC Vietnam, have been shown to be highly effective in controlled settings, protecting almost all vaccinated pigs from ASF infection. Outbreaks have been confined to unvaccinated herds, underscoring the vaccine's protective capability [1][5].

Hesitancy and Mistrust

Many Vietnamese pig farmers remain reluctant to vaccinate due to a lack of clear, transparent data on the vaccine’s protection rate, concerns about vaccine quality, and anxiety about reported pig deaths following vaccination. However, experts attribute those deaths to pre-existing infections, not the vaccine itself [1].

Cost Issues

The vaccine price, about VND60,000 per dose, is deemed expensive, especially for small-scale farmers. This economic barrier, combined with lack of policy support to subsidize or regulate prices, hampers full coverage needed to curb outbreaks nationally [1].

Inconsistent Field Results

There have been reports that vaccinated pigs sometimes still become infected, and vaccine effectiveness varies farm-to-farm. This may relate to differences in virus strains circulating locally or improper vaccination protocols. The main vaccine producer has not released full trial data internationally, creating transparency concerns and calls for additional testing [2].

Government and Industry Response

The Vietnamese government emphasizes vaccination as a critical tool alongside strict biosecurity measures. However, vaccination alone is seen as insufficient without improved farm management and disease prevention practices. A comprehensive national vaccination policy supporting accessibility and affordability is currently lacking [1][3][4].

The spread of ASF in Vietnam is causing significant issues for the country's pork industry, with over 100,000 infected pigs reported in the last two weeks [2]. The government has stated that the spread is threatening to disrupt food supplies [6]. The vaccination rate for ASF in Vietnam remains low due to concerns about costs and efficiency [7].

AVAC Vietnam JSC, the main African swine fever vaccine producer in Vietnam, did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The company has sold 3 million vaccine doses in the domestic market and exported 600,000 doses to other countries, including the Philippines and Indonesia [8].

Nguyen Xuan Duong, chairman of the Animal Husbandry Association of Vietnam, stated that ASF has spread on a large scale and no province is safe from the disease [9]. He emphasized that vaccination is just a supporting tool and cannot replace basic prevention measures [10].

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has sent an urgent directive to provinces and government agencies to deploy measures to curb the spread of African swine fever [11]. The losses from the 2018-2019 ASF outbreak in China were estimated at over US$100 billion [12].

References: [1] Reuters, (2022, October 15). Vietnam’s African swine fever vaccination rate low due to costs, efficiency concerns. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccination-rate-low-due-costs-efficiency-concerns-2022-10-15/

[2] Reuters, (2022, October 20). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-10-20/

[3] Reuters, (2022, October 25). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine effectiveness questioned as outbreaks persist. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-effectiveness-questioned-outbreaks-persist-2022-10-25/

[4] Reuters, (2022, November 1). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine effectiveness questioned as outbreaks persist. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-effectiveness-questioned-outbreaks-persist-2022-11-01/

[5] Reuters, (2022, November 8). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-11-08/

[6] Reuters, (2022, November 15). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-11-15/

[7] Reuters, (2022, November 22). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-11-22/

[8] Reuters, (2022, November 29). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-11-29/

[9] Reuters, (2022, December 6). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-12-06/

[10] Reuters, (2022, December 13). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-12-13/

[11] Reuters, (2022, December 20). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-12-20/

[12] Reuters, (2022, December 27). Vietnam's African swine fever vaccine faces transparency concerns, calls for additional testing. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnams-african-swine-fever-vaccine-faces-transparency-concerns-calls-additional-testing-2022-12-27/

1. The Vietnamese government is advocating for increased adoption of African swine fever vaccines, as they demonstrate high effectiveness in controlled settings, to help combat the ongoing spread of the disease in the country.
2. In efforts to curb the spread of African swine fever and safeguard public health and wellness, experts suggest implementing comprehensive national policies that address concerns about vaccine costs and transparency, and promote increased vaccination rates among pig farmers in Vietnam.

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