African Swine Fever (ASF) is wreaking havoc on pig farming across Asia. Since its spread from Africa, ASF has decimated millions of pigs in Vietnam and neighboring countries. For example, Vietnam has lost over 6.6 million pigs since 2019, disrupting pork supply chains and driving food inflation[1][2]. In mid-2025 Vietnam saw over 1,019 new outbreaks and more than 160,000 pigs culled in a single year[3]. ASF is spreading elsewhere too: China reported a mid-2025 outbreak killing 200 pigs (586 culled)[4], the Philippines has active cases in 76 of 82 provinces[5], and Cambodia confirmed new outbreaks in July 2025[6]. These outbreaks threaten farmers’ livelihoods and food security – authorities warn of pork shortages and price spikes[2]. In sum, ASF in Vietnam and other Asian countries is a crisis demanding effective prevention and disinfection.

Traditional biosecurity measures (quarantines, culling and vaccines) are useful but insufficient. Effective disinfection is critical to stop ASFV, the virus that causes ASF, from spreading via contaminated vehicles, equipment or facilities. However, conventional disinfectants have limitations. For instance, chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) can kill ASFV in clean conditions, but its efficacy plummets in the presence of organic matter like manure or soil[7]. In practice pig farms are full of organic debris, so very high chlorine doses (and thorough cleaning) are needed[8]. Chlorine is also corrosive and breaks down in warm, sunny environments. Likewise, ultraviolet (UV) lamps only disinfect exposed surfaces and air. UV light cannot penetrate shadows or opaque materials, so hidden nooks, equipment interiors or muddy corners remain untreated[9]. In short, traditional methods often fail to reach every virus particle on a farm.