The problem

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a recurring disease afflicting pigs in Europe. The 1997 epizootic centred on the Netherlands resulted in the slaughter of 10 million pigs, at an estimated cost of over a billion euros. To control CSF, we need good models of its epidemiology and recurrence. Wild boars constitute a CSF reservoir, so an idea is to vaccinate wild boar populations to protect domestic pigs. As animals inoculated with the available live oral vaccine cannot be distinguished from infected animals, there is a need for a live marker vaccine that allows this distinction to be made.

Overview:

CSFVACCINE & WILD BOAR aims to develop a complete package including:

• Epidemiological and economic (cost-benefit) models for CSF eradication in wild boars, based on current knowledge of their ecology, of how infection spreads in wild populations, and of the influence of immunisation and supportive measures
• An orally administrable marker vaccine conferring strong, long-lasting immunity and impaired for replication in the host – to be used preventively in wild boars and for emergency inoculations in domestic pigs
• The accompanying diagnostic assays
• Adapted vaccine baits suitable for young animals

Contribution to policy development:

• Although the EU has a non-vaccination policy, it recognises the need to manage the wild-boar CSF reservoir and this project will shed light on the potential of marker vaccines offering good discrimination
• The EU’s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare has called for new vaccines and improved vaccination procedures for controlling CSF, a key aim of this scheme
• Project partners are frequently called upon to give advice to bodies involved in policy decisions at EU and national level, and this research will help them give more informed recommendations

Project deliverables

• Epidemiological model and cost-benefit analysis – start January 2004, end December 2007
• New marker vaccine, including production – start January 2004, end December 2006
• Accompanying diagnostics – start December 2004, end June 2007
• Baits suitable for young animals – start January 2004, end June 2005 (C-strain baits) or December 2006 (marker vaccine)
• Inter-laboratory evaluation – start January 2005, end December 2007

Dissemination

• Project website
• Annual reports to the Commission – December 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
• Final report – June 2008
• Results presented at the annual meetings of National CSF Reference Laboratories
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals and communications at international congresses – ongoing

Technical information

Project acronym: CSFVACCINE & WILD BOAR
Project’s official full title: Epidemiology and control of classical swine fever (CSF) in wild boar and potential use of a newly developed live marker vaccine
Research priority: New and more environment friendly production methods to improve animal health and welfare including research on animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease, swine fever and development of marker vaccines
Specific webpage: http://www.csfvaccine.org
Proposal/contract no: 501599
Start date: 1/01/2004
Kick off meeting: Not available
Completion date: 31/12/2007
European Commission scientific officer: Isabel Minguez-Tudela (Isabel.Minguez-Tudela@ec.europa.eu)

Coordinator:
Name: Centrum voor Onderzoek in Diergeneeskunde en Agrochemie
Abbreviated name: CODA
Address: 99 Groeselenberg, 1180 Brussels
Country: Belgium
Tel: +32 2 379 0518
Fax: +32 2 379 0401
Website: http://www.var.fgov.be

Partners

Name: National Veterinary Institute
Abbreviated name: NVI
Country: Sweden

Name: Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals
Abbreviated name: BFAV
Country: Germany

Name: European Reference Laboratory for Classical Swine Fever
Abbreviated name: TiHo
Country: Germany      

Name: Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica
Abbreviated name: INFS
Country: Italy 

Name: Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis
Abbreviated name: IVI
Country: Switzerland  

Name: Fort Dodge Veterinaria SA
Abbreviated name: FDV
Country: Spain

Name: Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Abbreviated name: UCM
Country: Spain

Name: Institute for Veterinary Medicinal Products
Abbreviated name: IVMP
Country: Hungary