Philippine project to develop vaccine against tilapia lake virus

A Philippine project is developing a vaccine against Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV). Funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources, Research and Development Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), the project Development of Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS)-based subunit protein vaccine against tilapia lake virus hopes to develop a rationally designed oral subunit protein fish vaccine against tilapinevirus using BEVS.

In its first year of implementation, the project started its preliminary experiments in preparation of the recombinant baculoviruses. The project is also set to screen antiviral drug targets and antiviral candidates using in-silico and in vitro approaches as well as create a diagnostic platform that can be used in disease surveillance and diagnostics.

In September 2023, the project team, led by Casiano Choresca Jr., sealed a partnership with Taiwan collaborators from Chung Yuan Christian University to advance science-based solutions to enhance the tilapia industry.

The World Organization for Animal Health reported that the presence of TiLV in the Philippines is a newly emerging viral pathogen. The considerable mortality rate of tilapia caused by TiLV infections poses potential threats to food security, nutrition and the economy since tilapia has been regarded as a primary commodity.

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