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U of S scientists approved to test African swine fever vaccines on site

The disease infecting and killing pigs in Africa, Europe and Asia will eventually spread to North America, say researchers at the University of Saskatchewan. New funding will allow its lab in Saskatoon to test vaccines for African Swine Fever.

The fever has spread across Africa, Asia, and Europe, and North America is unlikely to escape the disease

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A scientist works at VIDO-Intervac's C3 lab, where swine fever vaccines are created and tested. (Submitted by Debrah Marshall)

A disease infecting and killing pigs in Africa, Europe and Asia will eventually spread to North America, say researchers at the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac).

But now, the U of S centre will be able to work toward fighting African swine fever, or ASF.

"It's now affecting several countries in Asia and has made its way into Europe, even in Belgium and the Czech Republic," said Volker Gerdts, VIDO-Intervac's director and CEO.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced this week that VIDO-InterVac has now been approved to work with African swine fever, of ASF.

That means vaccines for the virus can be tested in Saskatoon. VIDO-InterVac is the first non-government facility to be approved to work with the ASF virus in Canada. 

Before being approved to work with the virus, the lab had sent more than 30 vaccines to Winnipeg to be tested.

Volker Gerdts is the CEO of VIDO-Intervac and says African swine fever will eventually spread to North America. (Submitted by Debrah Marshall)

Economic repercussions

ASF has infected over 60 per cent of Asian swine, and they are starting to die. 

For countries that export pork products, like Canada, ASF could have have severe economic repercussions.

"As soon as you have an outbreak in your country your ability to trade with other countries is lost," said Gerdts. "We're exporting almost 70 per cent of our pork to other countries."

Vaccine research is conducted in one of the centre's high-level labs where scientists are usually clad in protective suits and hoods. ASF can't be transmitted to humans so the scientists working on the vaccines only need to wear hair nets, gowns and gloves.

The vaccines VIDO-Intervac sent to Winnipeg in the past were eventually tested on pigs. Gerdt says that the lab on the U of S campus will be able to test vaccines on the animals in about a year.

Canada-wide effort

The centre participated in an international conference, organized by the federal government. The intent of the conference was to share ASF research and co-ordinate an international effort to eradicate the fever.

"The government of Canada is taking a leadership role to protect our pork industry, economy and Canadians' jobs," said Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food in a release announcing the research.

The conference also served as a planning session to determine a response to a potential outbreak.

Corrections

  • A previous version of this story indicated VIDO-InterVac received funding to conduct its research. In fact, VIDO-InterVac received approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to do research work on African swine fever.
    Jan 10, 2020 5:43 PM CT
  • A previous version of this story indicated VIDO-InterVac hosted an international conference. In fact, the organization participated in the conference.
    Jan 10, 2020 6:20 PM CT
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