Evaluation of African swine fever vaccine candidates by transcription profiling and assessment of immune responses

African swine fever is a highly infectious disease of domestic and wild pigs. The causative agent is the African swine fever virus (ASFV), a large dsDNA virus and sole member of the Asfaviridae family. ASFV asymptomatically infects its natural host warthogs, and soft bodied ticks. However infection of domestic swine results in haemorrhagic fever and up to 100% mortality. The virus is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, where transmission is propagated through both wild and domestic pig reservoirs. However in 2007 contaminated meat products from E. Africa led to the introduction of the virus into the Caucasus region of Georgia and Russia. Inadequate control of the outbreak resulted in the establishment of endemic infection. Importantly, since 2007 the virus has disseminated westwards via meat products and wild boar. Cases have been recently observed in Baltic EU nations and Poland. Due to the highly destructive nature of the virus and the impending risk of infection within EU domestic swine populations, ASFV poses a severe socioeconomic risk to the pork industry. Therefore the development of a successful vaccine is considered to be of immediate and paramount importance. We are working closely with Zoetis Inc. and have developed a genetically modified virus based upon virulent isolates for use as a candidate live attenuated vaccines. This genetically modified virus lacks 10 specific genes thought to be involved in immune modulation (MGF360-9L, 10L, 11L, 12L, 13L, and 14L. MGF505-1R, 2R, 3R, and 4R). This project aims to elucidate the mechanism of action of these specific genes, and why their removal or truncation from the viral genome confers results in attenuation of virus and induction of protection against challenge. BBSRC Priority Areas: Animal Health


AfS, ENWW