Simultaneous Deletion of the<i>9GL</i>and<i>UK</i>Genes from the African Swine Fever Virus Georgia 2007 Isolate Offers Increased Safety and Protection against Homologous Challenge

Abstract

Currently, there is no commercially available vaccine against African swine fever. Outbreaks of the disease are devastating to the swine industry and are caused by circulating strains of African swine fever virus. Here, we report a putative vaccine derived from a currently circulating strain but containing two deletions in two separate areas of the virus, allowing increased safety. Using this genetically modified virus, we were able to vaccinate swine and protect them from developing ASF. We were able to achieve protection from disease as early as 2 weeks after vaccination, even when the pigs were exposed to a higher than normal concentration of ASFV.