EFFORTS TO DEVELOP AN INACTIVATED AFRICAN SWINE FEVER VIRUS VACCINE

African Swine Fever (ASF) virus infection continues to threaten pig health since its first emergence in Indonesia. Among existing viruses, ASF is one of the most complex and highly infectious, with morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates reaching up to 100%, thus causing significant socio-economic losses. Due to its infectious nature, the first ASF outbreak was reported in Africa in 1921, later spreading to Europe in 1957 and Asia in 2010. In Indonesia, the first ASF outbreak was officially announced in 2019 in Sumatra, followed by reports from Bali and East Nusa Tenggara, as well as Timor-Leste. As no effective vaccine is currently available, ASF control relies solely on early detection and biosecurity measures. However, these efforts have proven suboptimal, as sporadic outbreaks continue to occur, particularly affecting farmers who do not implement proper biosecurity practices. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop an effective vaccine. ASF virus belongs to the Asfarviridae family and contains a double-stranded DNA genome. It is relatively stable under extreme environmental conditions, making it difficult to inactivate and easy to transmit. The failure to develop an optimal vaccine is mainly due to the virus's complexity and the technical challenges in its production. Current vaccines include live attenuated viruses and those based on DNA or recombinant proteins. The use of live viruses is believed to carry a high risk, as the virus may revert to its virulent form (relapse) in nature and cause persistent viremia. On the other hand, molecular vaccines, such as recombinant protein or DNA-based vaccines, have not yet shown optimal effectiveness, possibly because they fail to induce a comprehensive, protective immune response. The objective of this study is to develop an inactivated vaccine, following the same procedures used to produce the Jembrana disease virus (JDV) vaccine, which has already been proven effective in controlling Jembrana disease in Bali cattle in Indonesia.