Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated Vaccines
African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious transboundary viral hemorrhagic disease of domestic and wild pigs presenting a significant threat to the global swine industry. Following its introduction in Caucasus, Georgia, in 2007, the genome of the genotype II of African swine fever virus (ASFV)...
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/2/145 |
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| author | Bonto Faburay |
| author_facet | Bonto Faburay |
| author_sort | Bonto Faburay |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious transboundary viral hemorrhagic disease of domestic and wild pigs presenting a significant threat to the global swine industry. Following its introduction in Caucasus, Georgia, in 2007, the genome of the genotype II of African swine fever virus (ASFV) strain Georgia-07 and its derivatives accumulated significant mutations, resulting in the emergence of genetic variants within short epidemiological timescales as it spreads and infects different hosts in diverse ecosystems, causing outbreaks in Europe, South Asia, South East Asia and the Caribbean. This suggests that ASFV, with a comparatively large and complex DNA genome, is susceptible to genetic mutations including deletions and that although the virus is environmentally stable, it is genetically unstable. This has implications for the development of vaccines and diagnostic tests for disease detection and surveillance. Analysis of the ASFV genome revealed recombination hotspots, which in double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses represent key drivers of genetic diversity. The ability of pox virus, a dsDNA virus with a genome complexity similar to ASFV, regaining virulence following the deletion of a virulence gene via gene amplification, coupled with the recent emergence and spread of live-attenuated ASFV vaccine strains causing disease and death in pigs in China, raise legitimate concerns around the use of live-attenuated ASFV vaccines in non-endemic regions to control the potential introduction. Further research into the risk of using live-attenuated ASFV in non-endemic regions is highly needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:16:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00ecd1dd90364bcfb678859e60f3de84 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:16:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-00ecd1dd90364bcfb678859e60f3de842023-11-23T21:31:04ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172022-01-0111214510.3390/pathogens11020145Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated VaccinesBonto Faburay0Scientific Liaison Services Section, Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plum Island Animal Disease Center, United States Department of Agriculture, New York, NY 11957, USAAfrican swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious transboundary viral hemorrhagic disease of domestic and wild pigs presenting a significant threat to the global swine industry. Following its introduction in Caucasus, Georgia, in 2007, the genome of the genotype II of African swine fever virus (ASFV) strain Georgia-07 and its derivatives accumulated significant mutations, resulting in the emergence of genetic variants within short epidemiological timescales as it spreads and infects different hosts in diverse ecosystems, causing outbreaks in Europe, South Asia, South East Asia and the Caribbean. This suggests that ASFV, with a comparatively large and complex DNA genome, is susceptible to genetic mutations including deletions and that although the virus is environmentally stable, it is genetically unstable. This has implications for the development of vaccines and diagnostic tests for disease detection and surveillance. Analysis of the ASFV genome revealed recombination hotspots, which in double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses represent key drivers of genetic diversity. The ability of pox virus, a dsDNA virus with a genome complexity similar to ASFV, regaining virulence following the deletion of a virulence gene via gene amplification, coupled with the recent emergence and spread of live-attenuated ASFV vaccine strains causing disease and death in pigs in China, raise legitimate concerns around the use of live-attenuated ASFV vaccines in non-endemic regions to control the potential introduction. Further research into the risk of using live-attenuated ASFV in non-endemic regions is highly needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/2/145African swine fever virusdsDNA virusgenetic mutationdiagnosticslive-attenuated vaccines |
| spellingShingle | Bonto Faburay Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated Vaccines Pathogens African swine fever virus dsDNA virus genetic mutation diagnostics live-attenuated vaccines |
| title | Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated Vaccines |
| title_full | Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated Vaccines |
| title_fullStr | Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated Vaccines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated Vaccines |
| title_short | Genome Plasticity of African Swine Fever Virus: Implications for Diagnostics and Live-Attenuated Vaccines |
| title_sort | genome plasticity of african swine fever virus implications for diagnostics and live attenuated vaccines |
| topic | African swine fever virus dsDNA virus genetic mutation diagnostics live-attenuated vaccines |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/2/145 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bontofaburay genomeplasticityofafricanswinefevervirusimplicationsfordiagnosticsandliveattenuatedvaccines |