WOAH sets new standards for African Swine Fever vaccines to boost global control efforts

The World Organisation for Animal Health has introduced new vaccination standards for African swine fever, aiming to enhance disease management amid rising outbreaks and devastating economic impacts on pig industries worldwide.

The World Organisation for Animal Health has adopted a new standard for African swine fever vaccines, reflecting growing confidence that immunisation may soon become a practical part of disease control if products are properly tested and matched to circulating strains.

African swine fever remains one of the most damaging animal diseases in global pig production. The virus can kill entire herds, disrupt trade and undermine rural incomes, particularly where smallholders depend on pigs as a source of cash and protein. WOAH says that since January 2022 at least 12 countries have recorded first outbreaks, with more than 2 million animal losses reported between January 2022 and February 2025.

The new standard sets minimum requirements for vaccines to reduce clinical signs, curb transmission and build immunity, while avoiding severe side-effects, environmental harm or contamination with wild virus. It also requires vaccines to match the genotype circulating in the vaccination area, a safeguard intended to reduce the risk of recombination and the emergence of harder-to-control strains.

WOAH stresses, however, that vaccination is not a standalone fix. Biosecurity, import controls and restrictions on animal movement remain central, with vaccine use to be decided by veterinary authorities according to local conditions and surveillance capacity. The organisation has also issued guidance on field evaluation and post-vaccination monitoring, signalling a more structured approach to ASF control.