ICAR’s indigenous African Swine Fever vaccine dedicated to the nation

India’s first ASF vaccine: what happened?

African Swine Fever can wipe out a smallholder’s pigs: mortality may approach 100 per cent. Until now India had no commercially approved vaccine and no effective treatment. Control meant quick diagnosis, culling and strict biosecurity. That is why a home-grown vaccine matters, above all in the North-East, where smallholder pig farmers have lost the most.

• The vaccine passed lab tests for sterility, purity, safety, genetic stability, immunogenicity, protective efficacy and virulence reversion.
• It was field-validated with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD).
• It is suited for large-scale production.
• It was dedicated by the Union Agriculture Minister at ICAR Foundation Day.

What is African Swine Fever?

• A trans-boundary animal disease of domestic and wild pigs caused by the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV).
• It brings high fever and haemorrhages; mortality may approach 100 per cent.
• Since 2020 it has spread to several States and UTs, with movement and trade curbs.
• In Mizoram, outbreaks affected more than 11,382 households up to 2025.

Why is the MA-104 cell line a big deal?

• The only couple of licensed ASF vaccines, in Vietnam, use patented proprietary cell lines.
• ICAR-NIHSAD used the widely available MA-104 cell line instead.
• That removes dependence on proprietary platforms, allows large-scale production and lowers cost.
• The release says this could position India as a supplier of affordable ASF vaccines.

What do the numbers show?

How was the vaccine built?

1. Genotype II ASFV attenuated by gene deletions
2. Grown in the MA-104 cell line
3. Lab tests: safety, stability, efficacy, no reversion
4. Field validation with DAHD
5. Dedicated to the nation, 4 Aug 2026

Why does India’s first ASF vaccine matter?

What are the challenges in India’s first ASF vaccine?

• Live attenuated vaccines need careful checks that the virus does not regain strength; the release says reversion studies were done.
• Reaching smallholders across many States will need an organised vaccination drive.
• Vaccination will need to sit alongside, not replace, biosecurity.
• The release gives no production timeline or price yet.

What should be done next on India’s first ASF vaccine?

• Scale up production and set up a supply chain for the North-East.
• Train veterinarians on the dose and booster schedule.
• Keep biosecurity and rapid diagnosis in place.
• Monitor field performance after rollout.

What can Prelims ask on India’s first ASF vaccine?

• ASF: caused by ASFV; affects pigs; first in India in 2020.
• Vaccine: ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal; live attenuated; MA-104 cell line; Genotype II.
• Dose: 1 mL intramuscular; booster after 14 days; pigs above eight weeks.
• Only licensed ASF vaccines elsewhere: Vietnam.

How to write about India’s first ASF vaccine in Mains

Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Trans-boundary animal diseases threaten livelihoods in India’s livestock sector. Discuss with reference to African Swine Fever and the indigenous vaccine developed by ICAR.

• Intro: ASF since 2020, losses in Assam and Mizoram.
• Vaccine: ICAR-NIHSAD, MA-104, live attenuated.
• Significance: farmers, biosecurity, self-reliance.
• Challenges: rollout, cold chain, biosecurity.
• Conclusion.