Marker vaccines for swine fever
The European Commission, DG VI, has published a call for requests to participate in an upcoming invitation to tender for the completion of a large-scale laboratory trial on the efficacy of two recently developed marker vaccines against classical swine fever. The trial will test two vaccines which have recently been submitted to the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) for marketing authorisation. Classical swine fever is a contagious disease present in the European Union and marker vaccines might represent an additional tool to control and eradicate the disease. The real value of the newly developed marker vaccines in disease control is still unknown and the European Commission considers it necessary that a specific large-scale laboratory trial related to this matter be carried out. The trial is expected to provide data that go beyond the EMEA requirements for marketing authorisation and the results of the trial will be used in the further decision-making process concerning possible amendments to current legislation on classical swine fever emergency vaccination. The trial will consist of the challenge of pigs with classical swine fever virus, the observation of clinical disease symptoms and the testing of the pigs for classical swine fever virus and antibodies. Sensitivity and specificity of the test that may allow infected animals to be distinguished from the vaccinated ones shall also be specifically studied. The vaccine doses and reagents necessary to carry out the trial will be made available by the European Commission. For further information, please contact: European Commission DG VI - Agriculture Mr J. Westergaard 200 rue de la Loi (L86 7/41) B-1049 Brussels Tel. +32-2-2959890; Fax +32-2-2953144