{"id":117810,"date":"2026-08-07T17:57:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T12:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=117810"},"modified":"2026-08-07T17:57:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T12:27:14","slug":"indigenous-african-swine-fever-asf-vaccine-developed-by-icar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indigenous-african-swine-fever-asf-vaccine-developed-by-icar\/","title":{"rendered":"Indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine Developed by ICAR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has developed <\/span><b>India&#8217;s first indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine for pigs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Developed by ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal, the vaccine is <\/span><b>expected to reduce pig mortality, minimise economic losses and strengthen India&#8217;s livestock disease management.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is African Swine Fever (ASF)?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><b>World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>African Swine Fever (ASF) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a <\/span><b>highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs caused by the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is one of the world&#8217;s most devastating transboundary animal diseases, characterised by<\/span><b> high fever, haemorrhages and mortality rates of up to 100%. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although <\/span><b>African Swine Fever (ASF) does not infect humans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it causes severe economic losses by reducing pig populations, disrupting trade and affecting farmers&#8217; livelihoods.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>African Swine Fever in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>African Swine Fever was first detected in India in 2020 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and has since spread to several <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/difference-between-state-and-union-territory\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>States and Union Territories<\/strong><\/a>, particularly affecting the North-Eastern region, where pig farming is an important source of livelihood.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The disease has caused large-scale pig deaths, disrupted pig production, restricted animal movement and trade, and severely affected farmers&#8217; incomes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the absence of an effective treatment or vaccine, control mainly depended on rapid diagnosis, culling of infected pigs and strict biosecurity measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the 2020-21 outbreaks, Assam suffered estimated losses of about \u20b9276 crore.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Mizoram, ASF affected over 11,382 households up to 2025, causing estimated losses of around \u20b9982 crore.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These recurring outbreaks highlighted the need for an effective indigenous vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine Developed by ICAR<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To tackle the growing threat of ASF, scientists at <\/span><b>ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, developed India&#8217;s first indigenous MA-104 Cell Line-Based Live Attenuated African Swine Fever Vaccine for pigs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine Key Features<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India&#8217;s first indigenous vaccine against African Swine Fever.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developed using a live attenuated ASF Virus (Genotype II) with unique gene deletions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uses the widely available MA-104 cell line, making it suitable for affordable large-scale production.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Successfully tested for safety, purity, genetic stability, immune response and protective efficacy, and field validated with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recommended for healthy pigs above eight weeks of age.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Administered as a 1 mL intramuscular injection, followed by a booster dose after 14 days.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expected to reduce pig mortality, minimise economic losses and strengthen India&#8217;s animal health security.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>About MA-104 Cell Line<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>MA-104 cell line<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a continuous cell culture used to grow viruses for vaccine production. In India&#8217;s indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine, it enables efficient, large-scale and cost-effective vaccine manufacturing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The use of the MA-104 cell line is one of the most significant scientific achievements of India&#8217;s indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It enables large-scale production of the ASF vaccine using a well-established and widely available cell line.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It removes dependence on patented proprietary cell lines used by commercially available ASF vaccines.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It significantly reduces vaccine manufacturing costs, making vaccination more affordable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It strengthens Atmanirbhar Bharat by developing indigenous vaccine production technology.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has the potential to make India a global supplier of affordable ASF vaccines.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine Significance<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indigenous African Swine Fever Vaccine marks a major milestone in India&#8217;s animal health and livestock disease management.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is India&#8217;s first indigenous vaccine against African Swine Fever.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It provides an effective preventive tool against a disease with mortality rates of up to 100%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is expected to reduce pig deaths and minimise economic losses for pig farmers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It strengthens animal health security, <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/food-security-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>food security<\/strong><\/a> and biosecurity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It supports the sustainable growth of the pig farming sector, especially in the North-Eastern region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It demonstrates India&#8217;s growing capability in indigenous veterinary vaccine research and development.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Challenges<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the breakthrough, several challenges remain in controlling African Swine Fever.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large-scale vaccine production and timely distribution need to be ensured.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High vaccination coverage is required to effectively control outbreaks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strict biosecurity measures remain essential as vaccination alone cannot eliminate disease risks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Continuous surveillance is needed to monitor virus evolution and vaccine effectiveness.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Awareness among small pig farmers regarding vaccination and disease prevention needs improvement.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A comprehensive approach is required to maximise the benefits of the indigenous ASF vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scale up commercial production to ensure timely vaccine availability across the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integrate vaccination with surveillance, rapid diagnosis and strict biosecurity measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritise vaccination in ASF-prone regions, particularly the North-East.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen farmer awareness and veterinary extension services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promote continued research to improve vaccine effectiveness against emerging virus variants.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Read about ICAR\u2019s indigenous African Swine Fever vaccine, its key features, MA-104 cell line, significance, benefits, and role in strengthening pig health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":117873,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-117810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-general-studies","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117810"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117810\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":117904,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117810\/revisions\/117904"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}