Around  500  African Swine Fever (ASF) test kits called "ASFV Nanogold Biosensor” are expected to be delivered to the province of Batangas “for wider testing and initial distribution,” the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has bared. 

In his weekly report on Friday, Feb. 5, DOST Secretary Fortunato T. dela Peña said the preparations are underway for the delivery of the test kits, developed by the team of researchers from the DOST– Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) and the Central Luzon State University (CLSU). The team is led by Dr. Clarissa Domingo.

“Currently, the team of Dr. Clarissa Yvonne J. Domingo of Central Luzon State University (CLSU) is preparing to deliver 500 test kits (for surface swab) to Batangas for wider testing and initial distribution,” he said.
"Currently,  efforts to validate the test kit with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) is being pursued to obtain a certificate of product registration,” he noted. 

According to the DOST Chief,  DOST PCAARRD-CLSU research team on  African Swine Fever virus  (ASFv)  is also preparing the minimum requirement of 20 ASF-positive and 20 ASF-negative samples together with the necessary number of test kits (reagents) to be used by the BAI in validating the Nanogold loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test kit. 

He cited the decision of private drug companies and swine farms to forge partnership with Domingo’s team for the continuous testing and monitoring of ASF in the farm before and after introduction of new stocks using the newly developed test kit. 

This aims to help the pig industry’s repopulation effort, dela Peña said. 

During his weekly report last week, dela Peña said Domingo’s team continues to gather more samples from swine producing regions to collect data on the possible variants of ASFv present in the country’s hog population, as it initially found two variants of virus  from the 19 local samples they collected. 

The DOST PCAARRD-CLSU research team had reported that they are fine-tuning LAMP protocol for diagnosis using blood and meat samples. 

"This protocol has shorter reaction time of about 10 minutes compared to the surface swab (protocol developed earlier) that shows results in about 30 minutes. The surface swab method detects ASFv from feeds, water, delivery trucks, floors, walls and other surfaces,” said Domingo, a professor at CLSU. 

According to her, the results of LAMP diagnosis have been confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

"Collection of more samples from other swine producing regions is currently being pursued to ascertain sensitivity of the test and to gather information on the possible variants of the virus that are present in our local pig population,” she said.