Feline cancer is increasingly recognized as a major cause of mortality, yet data on tumor prevalence and behavior in cats, particularly in non-Western regions, remain limited. This study analyzed a decade of feline tumor data in Korea from 2012 to 2022, focusing on age, breed, and anatomical location as predictors of malignancy. Data were collected from 683 cats, with regression analysis applied to determine significant associations. Older cats exhibited a markedly higher risk of malignancy, particularly in mast cell and mammary tumors. Tumors in the mammary gland and alimentary tract had malignancy rates exceeding 90%, underscoring the need for early detection in these regions. Interestingly, squamous cell carcinoma was rare in the skin, in stark contrast to Western studies, likely reflecting differences in environmental exposure. While breed was not a statistically significant predictor, certain breeds, including Persians and Russian Blues, showed a higher frequency of malignancy. These findings highlight the importance of regional tumor research in cats and the need for larger, multicenter datasets that incorporate environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors. Understanding these influences will help refine veterinary care and improve cancer treatment outcomes in feline populations.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) has substantially spread worldwide, resulting in significant economic losses in the swine industry. Despite extensive research, no ASF vaccine has surpassed the effectiveness of live attenuated vaccines. For instance, the live attenuated vaccine ASFV-G-ΔI177L/ΔLVR has demonstrated good efficacy and safety, along with prolonged persistence of ASF antibodies after vaccination. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate its potential for protection against highly virulent homologous ASF viruses based on changes in the farm environment. To this end, we challenged domestic pigs with a virulent field strain of ASFV following intramuscular immunization with ASFV-G-ΔI177L/ΔLVR. We further assessed its genomic stability and long-term antibody persistence in immunized domestic pigs. All vaccinated pigs exhibited high antibody positivity, with higher levels of antibodies observed at the time of challenge. These high ASF vaccine antibodies were maintained for approximately 2 months after vaccination. In addition, no organ or tissue damage was observed in the vaccinated animals. Our findings demonstrate the applicability of this vaccine candidate in the prevention of ASFV infection in the swine industry.

African swine fever (ASF) causes severe disease in domestic pigs and wild boars and often results in 100% mortality. The use of attenuated strains in ASF vaccine development, based on the most recently studied ASF virus (ASFV)‐Georgia (ASFV‐G) strain, has proven effective. In July 2023, Vietnam became the first country in the world to have two indigenously developed ASF vaccines approved for commercial sale locally. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of the live attenuated vaccine (LAV) ASFV‐G‐ΔI177L/ΔLVR derived from ASFV‐G‐ΔI177L in five pregnant sows and a control group. The ASFV‐G‐ΔI177L replicates efficiently in a stable swine cell line. Therefore, the pregnant sows were used to validate the vaccine. Fundamental assessments of clinical symptoms (vaccine safety), parturition performance, vertical transmission presence after birth, and maternal antibodies were conducted before and after colostrum intake following the vaccination with ASF‐G‐ΔI177L/ΔLVR. The vaccination had no adverse effects and induced a high level of antibody production. Normal delivery was also confirmed without miscarriages. Furthermore, ASF antibodies and the P72 gene were detected in the blood of most piglets that consumed colostrum from vaccinated sows, and transplacental transmission was confirmed in piglets following vaccination. While these results will influence vaccine development and play an important role in preventing lethal ASFV infections, they also highlight the potential of ASFV‐G‐ΔI177L/ΔLVR to protect even high‐risk groups such as pregnant sows and emphasize the importance of continued vigilance and investigation of vaccine safety parameters such as viral shedding, genetic stability, and reproductive efficacy.

Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) serve as valuable translational models for human cancer research due to their biological similarities. Canine mammary tumors (CMTs), frequently diagnosed in female dogs, share various characteristics with human breast cancers. This study investigates the PIK3CA (H1047R) mutation in CMTs using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and explores the potential of liquid biopsy for non-invasive detection. We analyzed 80 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) CMT tissue samples and compared ddPCR results with next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, achieving high concordance. Plasma and serum samples were also assessed for mutation concordance with tissue results. Our findings indicate a higher frequency of the PIK3CA (H1047R) mutations in benign and grade I malignant CMTs compared to more aggressive malignancies. The ddPCR assay demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity, with plasma testing showing 78.6% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity, and serum testing showing 66.7% sensitivity and 90.0% specificity. These results highlight the viability of liquid biopsy as a minimally invasive method for monitoring PIK3CA mutations in canine patients. The study suggests that liquid biopsy techniques hold significant promise for improving the early detection and monitoring of canine cancers, warranting further research to refine these methods and explore their applications in canine cancer diagnostics and treatment.

Background/Objective: African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boars, causing severe economic losses. Although commercial ASF vaccines have recently been approved in Vietnam, controlling ASF transmission remains challenging. Since injection-based vaccination is impractical for wild boars, oral vaccination is considered essential. This study aimed to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and dose-related outcomes of ASFV-G-ΔI177L/ΔLVR, a live attenuated ASFV vaccine candidate with deletion in the I177L gene and left variable region (LVR), administered orally to convention pigs. Methods: The ASFV-G-ΔI177L/ΔLVR vaccine candidate was orally administered to conventional pigs at three dose levels (10^2.25, 10^5.0, and 10^6.0 TCID₅₀/dose). At 28 days post-vaccination, pigs were challenged intramuscularly with a virulent ASFV field strain at 10^2.0 HAD₅₀/mL and monitored clinically. Protection was assessed by ASFV-specific antibody responses (p32) and survival following challenge. Results: Oral immunization was well tolerated, with no vaccine-associated clinical signs observed before challenge. Following challenge, vaccinated pigs showed different protective outcomes among the tested dose groups, with survival rates of 1/4 (10^2.25 TCID₅₀/dose), 4/4 (10^5.0 TCID₅₀/dose), and 3/4 (10^6.0 TCID₅₀/dose), respectively. Pigs that succumbed to infection showed neither detectable viremia nor ASFV-specific antibodies before challenge, suggesting incomplete vaccine uptake may have resulted in insufficient immune induction rather than an adverse effect associated with vaccination. In contrast, pigs that seroconverted prior to challenge were fully protected and exhibited lower viral loads than the control animals. Conclusions: ASFV-G-ΔI177L/ΔLVR was well tolerated as an oral live attenuated vaccine candidate and induced protective immunity against virulent ASFV challenge under the present experimental conditions. Notably, complete protection was observed in the 10^5.0 TCID₅₀/dose group, supporting the potential of this vaccine candidate for oral immunization strategies against ASF. However, the present data do not allow a definitive conclusion regarding the dose–response relationship, and further studies with larger group sizes and field-relevant models are needed to refine dose selection and practical applicability, particularly for wild boar vaccination.

Background/Objectives: African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal disease of domestic pigs and wild suids that continues to cause substantial economic losses worldwide. Despite recent progress in live-attenuated ASF vaccine development, evidence supporting durable protection under repeated exposure conditions representative of endemic settings remains limited. Here, we assessed the long-term safety and protective efficacy of a live-attenuated ASFV-G-ΔI177L/ΔLVR vaccine using a repeated-challenge experimental design intended to model re-exposure in ASF-endemic regions. Methods: Vaccinated pigs were subjected to homologous virulent ASF virus challenges at multiple intervals, including repeated challenges (three sequential inoculations) and single challenges administered at 8 and 12 weeks post-vaccination. Results: Across all challenge regimens, vaccinated animals survived and remained clinically healthy, including those receiving three challenges, supporting sustained protection under repeated exposure pressure. Animals challenged at 8 or 12 weeks post-vaccination likewise exhibited complete survival, indicating maintained efficacy through at least 12 weeks. No vaccine-associated adverse clinical outcomes were detected over the study period, and post-challenge viral shedding was minimal. Conclusions: Overall, these data demonstrate that the candidate live-attenuated ASF vaccine provides excellent protective efficacy and confers sustained protection against homologous ASF virus infection. This result is expected to be equally applicable under repeated exposure conditions in regions with unstable ASF biosecurity, making it a sufficiently promising model experiment for field application in ASF epidemic areas.