Wild pig immunity may hold key to ASF vaccine

A global research effort

The study brings together expertise from across Europe:

• ✅ National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) in France, contributing bioinformatics and comparative genomics
• ✅ Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Spain, focusing on virology, host-pathogen interactions, and single cell RNA sequencing

Funding comes through the EU Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare, supported by the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

Strategies to decode immunity

Dr Chris Netherton of Pirbright explained that the team hopes to identify biomarkers of resistance by studying macrophage responses. He said the work could reveal host factors that determine susceptibility.

Roslin’s Dr Finn Grey highlighted the use of high-throughput genetic screens to test thousands of genes simultaneously. This approach, he noted, should pinpoint the mechanisms that regulate ASFV infection.

INRAE’s Dr Ferdinand Roesch emphasized the importance of linking innate immune sensing and cytokine production to broader antiviral responses.

Meanwhile, Dr Cedric Notredame of CRG warned that recent ASF detections near Barcelona show the virus remains a constant threat. Understanding why wild pigs resist disease, he said, is vital to protecting biodiversity and farmers’ livelihoods.

Long-term impact

The three-year collaboration will compare domestic pigs and warthogs to uncover genetic factors behind resilience. By focusing on innate immunity, researchers hope to lay the groundwork for a vaccine that could transform ASFV control.