The swine industry across the globe is recently facing a devastating situation imparted by a highly contagious and deadly viral disease, African swine fever. The disease is caused by a DNA virus, the African swine fever virus (ASFV) of the genus Asfivirus. ASFV affects both wild boars and domestic pigs resulting in an acute form of hemorrhagic fever. Since the first report in 1921, the disease remains endemic in some of the African countries. However, the recent occurrence of ASF outbreaks in Asia led to a fresh and formidable challenge to the global swine production industry. Culling of the infected animals along with the implementation of strict sanitary measures remains the only options to control this devastating disease. Efforts to develop an effective and safe vaccine against ASF began as early as in the mid-1960s. Different approaches have been employed for the development of effective ASF vaccines including inactivated vaccines, subunit vaccines, DNA vaccines, virus-vectored vaccines, and live attenuated vaccines (LAVs). Inactivated vaccines are a non-feasible strategy against ASF due to their inability to generate a complete cellular immune response. However genetically engineered vaccines, such as subunit vaccines, DNA vaccines, and virus vector vaccines, represent tailored approaches with minimal adverse effects and enhanced safety profiles. As per the available data, gene deleted LAVs appear to be the most potential vaccine candidates. Currently, a gene deleted LAV (ASFV-G-∆I177L), developed in Vietnam, stands as the sole commercially available vaccine against ASF. The major barrier to the goal of developing an effective vaccine is the critical gaps in the knowledge of ASFV biology and the immune response induced by ASFV infection. The precise contribution of various hosts, vectors, and environmental factors in the virus transmission must also be investigated in depth to unravel the disease epidemiology. In this review, we mainly focus on the recent progress in vaccine development against ASF and the major gaps associated with it.

Pluronic F-127 (PF-127) hydrogel is a versatile biomaterial with promising applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. PF-127 has antiadhesive activity that prevents bacterial adhesion by creating a hydrated layer on the bacterial surface. This property makes PF-127 suitable for preventing implant-associated infections. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the antibacterial properties of PF-127 using field isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria) and compare them with different antibiotic standards. The antimicrobial potential was assessed using disk diffusion assays with four standard concentrations (20%, 25%, 30%, and 40%). The test microorganisms were inoculated on agar plates, and sterile filter paper disks infused with PF-127 hydrogels were placed alongside standard antibiotic disks. After incubation, the inhibition zones were measured to determine antimicrobial activity. Our results showed that PF-127 lacked intrinsic antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coli at the tested concentrations. In conclusion, PF-127 hydrogel is a promising neutral carrier hydrogel system for loading antibiotics and antimicrobial compounds. Its unique properties, such as biocompatibility and thermo-responsive behaviour, combined with its antiadhesive activity, make it an ideal candidate for various biomedical applications.

Keratinophilic fungi are mostly soil-inhabiting organisms with occasional infections in humans and animals. Even though most dermatophytes are host-adapted, cross-species infections are common by zoophilic and geophilic dermatophytes. N. nana is considered an etiological agent of ringworm in pigs but has also been isolated from other animals, including humans. However, it also possesses many characteristics of geophilic dermatophytes including the ability to grow in soil. N. nana produces characteristic pear-shaped macroconidia and usually exhibits an ectothrix pattern of hair infection. It has been isolated from dermatitis lesions as well as from soil. N. nana infections in pigs are not of much concern as far as economy or health is concerned. But it has been associated with onychomycosis and gonathritis in humans, which are significant in human medicine. The shift in the predominance of dermatophytes in humans and the ability to evolve into a potential tinea pathogen necessitates more understanding of the physiology and genetics of N. nana. In this review, we have attempted a detailed analysis of the studies about N. nana, emphasizing growth and cultural characters, physiology, isolation, infection in humans and animals, molecular characterization and antifungal susceptibility.