The African swine fever Epidemic in China remains serious as 2 new strains of the disease have emerged in New Hope Lukoil, one of China’s top 4 pork producers, infecting more than 1,000 sows and fattening pigs, with industry sources revealing that the mutations are likely caused by an illegal cottage vaccine.
Reuters reports that the new strain of African swine fever is missing both the “MGF360” and “CD2v” genes compared to the wild mainstream strain, and the disappearance of these two genes is the same as the previous failed vaccine developed by Chinese laboratories, making the vaccine a failure. The disappearance of these two genes was just like the previous failed vaccine developed by the Chinese laboratory, which made the scientists of New Hope Lukoil and the Beijing Veterinary Laboratory feel bad and inform their superiors in a hurry. Experts believe that this virus strain is definitely artificial and not a natural mutation.
Studies have shown that removing certain “MGF360” genes from African swine fever can help pigs develop immunity, but the modified strains were not developed into vaccines because the strains then mutated back to a harmful state. Although these strains lack the 2 key genes present in wild African swine fever viruses and are not as deadly as the swine fever viruses that swept China in 2018 and 2019, they can cause chronic disease and increase the rate of premature piglet deaths.
Many Chinese pig farmers have had to use unapproved vaccine products in an effort to prevent African swine fever, but experts warn that illegal vaccines can cause accidental infections in farmed pigs that are spreading, industry insiders and experts say. The new strain of African swine fever could spread worldwide through infected pork to infect farmed pigs that feed on Food waste, and it is now known to remain on pork for months.
China’s Ministry of Agriculture and rural Affairs has not yet responded to the matter.
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