Vietnam has temporarily suspended the use of its first African Swine Fever vaccine after dozens of pigs inoculated with the shots died this month, according to Reuters.  
In reaching out to veterinarian consultant and world lecturer Dr. John Carr, “Yes and I am not surprised – all so predictable.” 
Dr. Carr has criticized countries or companies for jumping the gun on releasing the ASF for fanfare and often to get more money.  
The Nhan Dan newspaper reported these deceased pigs were part of 600 pigs at several farms in the central province of Phu Yen injected with the Navet-ASFVac vaccine developed by Navetco, a company owned by the agriculture ministry.  
Dr. Paul Sundberg the executive director of the Swine Health Information Center said despite the suspension of a new African Swine Fever vaccine in Vietnam, there is still progress in the matter.  
The use of the gene-deleted African Swine Fever Vaccine, developed by USDA’s Ag Research Service and licensed for further testing to a company in Vietnam got suspended.  
However, Dr. Sundberg said initial reports indicated the vaccine’s efficacy was very high and safety studies were also very promising. 
As part of the broader use of the vaccine in Vietnam 600 pigs received the vaccine in a province. Within a short time after vaccination, about 100 of the pigs died and another 400 had what he termed a vaccine reaction. 
“Vietnam suspended the vaccine use, and we’re awaiting testing and investigation into what happened in that province. So far there is no official report from there.” 
Dr. Sundberg said it might be related to the vaccine, it may be related to an ASF infection that’s not vaccine-related or it may be another disease entirely. 
“The Department of Animal Health in Vietnam has sent an investigative team into the province and my most current information says that they are still in that investigation,” said Sundberg.  
He expects lots of laboratory time doing all the things to uncover the reason for that incident. 
“Again, it may not be vaccine related but certainly, that’s something that we have to know.” 
Dr. Sundberg said although this is a setback, other African Swine Fever vaccines are under development, including a second gene-deleted vaccine developed by USDA. 
Last June, Vietnam announced that it had successfully developed a vaccine to administer to pigs to fight ASF, intending to become the first country to produce and export it commercially.  
That vaccine development was based on ground-breaking research by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal Research Service (ARS).  •
— By Harry Siemens