At a conference on african swine fever prevention and slaughter control organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on 23/7, the Department of Animal Health reported that from the beginning of the year to 22/7, 636 outbreaks occurred in 30 out of 34 provinces and cities, infecting over 42,300 pigs and necessitating the culling of more than 43,300 animals. Currently, 256 outbreaks in 26 provinces and cities have not yet passed the 21-day mark.
Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of infected, dead, and culled pigs has decreased by over 34%. Despite this decrease, Phan Quang Minh from the Department of Animal Health assessed that the epidemic is increasing nationwide. Notably, the proportion of pigs infected with the genotype I-II recombinant strain (first appearing in Vietnam in 2023) is increasing.
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Culling pigs infected with african swine fever in Phu Tho. Photo: Phu Tho Police |
Culling pigs infected with african swine fever in Phu Tho. Photo: Phu Tho Police
Gene sequencing results reveal a shift in the prevalent virus strain. In 2023, genotype II (for which effective vaccines exist) accounted for 84.6% of cases, while the genotype I-II recombinant strain only represented 15.4%. By 2024, this proportion rose to 36% and currently stands at 45%.
Vietnam currently has three types of african swine fever vaccines licensed for circulation, produced domestically, with 7.8 million doses supplied to the market. However, none of these vaccines are effective against the genotype I-II strain. Surveys show that pigs vaccinated with Vietnamese vaccines against the genotype I-II recombinant strain have very low immunity and die quickly.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien stated that the ministry has tasked scientists with isolating the genotype I-II strain's genes to research a suitable vaccine. "This cannot be done in one or two years; it took 10 years for the previous strain. However, we need to be proactive to have a vaccine as soon as possible," he said.
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Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien speaks at the conference. Photo: Gia Chinh |
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien speaks at the conference. Photo: Gia Chinh
Regarding the resurgence of the epidemic, Deputy Minister Tien identified several factors: the rapid spread and high virulence of the disease, complex transmission routes, and the prevalence of small-scale farming (over 50%). Complacency also emerged after the 2019-2020 peak.
He added, "The recent increase in cases coincided with provincial mergers and restructuring, leading to inadequate attention from local veterinary systems. Disease control, outbreak handling, and slaughter control have not been implemented uniformly or decisively, with some laxity."
For the long term, Deputy Minister Tien believes Vietnam must shift from small-scale to large-scale, centralized farming. Citing China's multi-story pig farming model, he noted that this model allows technological control over productivity, biosecurity, and disease.
African swine fever, originating in Africa, spreads rapidly with a near 100% mortality rate in infected pigs. The virus, present in blood, organs, and secretions of infected pigs, is highly resistant, tolerates low temperatures, and only dies at 70°C. Transmission occurs through respiratory and digestive routes, via direct or indirect contact with contaminated materials. While the disease doesn't infect humans, they can act as carriers.
Gia Chinh
