Perm scientists have developed a program to detect swine fever

According to the ROSSELKHOZNADZOR , in 2022 the total number of outbreaks was 48. A group of researchers, which included a scientist from the Perm Polytechnic University, created a project for an automated system for the rapid determination of African and classical swine fever antigens. Timely detection of the virus will prevent its spread and ensure a stable situation in the field of animal HEALTH. The study was carried out as part of the Strategic Academic Leadership Program "Priority 2030". The scientists

published the results of the work in the journal AIP Conference Proceedings (2022, in press). Specialists from PSATU, the Perm Institute of the Federal Penitentiary Service of RUSSIA and the State Agrarian University of the Northern Trans-Urals also took part in the development.

According to the researchers, the African swine fever virus belongs to the Asfarviridae family of the Asfivirus genus. The virus infects bone marrow cells and is contained in the blood leukocytes of healthy pigs. With this disease, the formation of antibodies and immunity in animals occurs with a delay. The death of pigs is detrimental to agriculture. Therefore, it is important to monitor the situation in the field of animal health and identify sick people, scientists say. Now classical and African swine fever viruses are diagnosed by veterinary virologists using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

“Today, the main method for detecting classical and African plague viruses is serological testing. We proposed using a PCR-based system for the automated diagnosis of these diseases. On special probes that contain monoclonal antibodies of plague viruses, immunochromatographic analysis will be carried out according to the type of test strips, - explains one of the developers, professor of the Department of Information Technology and Automated Systems of the Perm Polytechnic University, DOCTOR of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor Sergey Kostarev.

The testing systems for the detection of classical and African plague, which are currently used in the world, are intended for veterinary personnel. The device of Russian scientists will be able to use farmers without special education. 

It is assumed that the device will consist of five blocks. First, you need to load the biomaterial into a container for testing, then the analyzer determines the type of plague antigen. The system analyzes the results of the reaction and provides information to the user. At the final stage, ozonation and disinfection of the device take place. 

The scientists developed the system based on the Omron CP1L programmable logic controller and CX-ONE software. They tested the algorithms and confirmed that the system works correctly. Using the device will improve the situation in the field of animal health and reduce damage to agriculture. Information taken from the portal "Scientific Russia".