SHIC Grant-Funded ASF Research Project in Vietnam Examines ELISAs

Research being conducted in Vietnam on ELISAs for African swine fever (ASF), made possible by a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service grant obtained by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) with support from the National Pork Producers Council, continues with a preliminary report issued in July 2021. This work is being done by Biostone Animal Health, with collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA’s) National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD). Goals of the study are to generate a panel of 2000 pig serum samples with known ASF infection status, determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the ELISAs in the study using the panel, and finally to perform an inter-laboratory evaluation of the assays in the USA and Canada.

To date, CFIA-NCFAD has received 790 ASF pig serum samples from Vietnam. In addition, Biostone Animal Health has received 500 ASF negative pig serum samples from Iowa State University, the University of Minnesota, and South Dakota State University. NCFAD has 500 ASF negative samples also available.

Preliminary results using the ELISA assays in the study shows high test sensitivity and specificity (>98%). Using preliminary results, further improvements have been made to the ELISAs.

Next steps in evaluating sensitivity of the assays include testing additional samples collected from pigs infected with multiple ASF strains including those that cause less severe clinical signs. Biostone Animal Health is also looking for collaborators in other ASF endemic countries to further validate the assays

SHIC, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, continues to focus efforts on prevention, preparedness, and response to novel and emerging swine disease for the benefit of US swine health. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. SHIC is funded by America’s pork producers to fulfill its mission to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Sundberg at [email protected].