Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease of domestic pigs, marked by high fever, anorexia, gastrointestinal issues, conjunctivitis, hemorrhage, cyanotic skin, and leukopenia. These symptoms contribute to high mortality and significant economic losses in the pig industry. The disease is caused by Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), an enveloped RNA virus of the Pestivirus genus, Flaviviridae family. Disease severity depends on viral virulence, host and environmental factors, as well as pig age and breed. CSF is widespread in Europe, Asia, and South America, and its endemic nature in India is indicated by a high prevalence of CSFV antibodies in pigs (Kumar et al., 2018).

Traditional diagnostic methods for the detection of CSFV include virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and lateral flow assays (LFAs) (Oura, 2019; Miao et al., 2019). Among these, antigen-based detection methods have demonstrated significant advantages. Although antibody-based assays are commonly used for serological surveillance, they are limited by a diagnostic delay—antibodies typically become detectable only 7 to 14 days after infection. This lag creates a diagnostic window during which infected animals may test negative, thereby hindering timely implementation of disease control measures (Ge et al., 2020). In contrast, antigen detection enables the identification of viral proteins soon after infection, allowing for earlier diagnosis and more effective containment of the disease (Jia et al., 2022).

Lateral flow assays, in particular, have garnered considerable attention due to their ease of use, rapid results, and suitability for point-of-care and field applications in CSFV detection (Smith et al., 2020). Despite these advantages, peptide-based LFAs for CSFV detection have not yet been developed. In this study, we present the design and development of a novel peptide-based lateral flow assay capable of detecting antigens of CSFV. By leveraging synthetic peptides with high affinity and specificity for viral antigens, this LFA offers a promising diagnostic solution that is not only rapid and sensitive but also cost-effective and practical for field deployment. This approach addresses the limitations of existing methods and provides a valuable tool for early detection and effective surveillance of these economically significant swine diseases.