African swine fever (ASF) continues to devastate pig farming worldwide, with no vaccine available and control limited to slaughter and quarantine. Now, scientists are turning to wild pigs for answers.
Looking beyond domestic herds
Researchers at the Pirbright Institute and the Roslin Institute are investigating why African wild pigs such as warthogs and red river hogs resist the ASF virus (ASFV). These animals carry the virus but do not develop disease, unlike domestic pigs.
The project aims to close a critical knowledge gap by examining immune responses in wild species. Stem cell technology is being used to generate macrophages, the immune cells targeted by ASFV, from both pigs and red river hogs.
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.