Since the spring of 2010, outbreaks of duck Tembusu viral disease that are characterized by death, retarded growth, high fever, loss of appetite, and egg production decline. The disease is highly contagious and spread rapidly in ducks. The infection rate and morbidity of ducks was as high as 100% and mortality varied from 5% to 30%. Each year, duck Tembusu viral disease caused hundred millions yuan economic losses in China. So far, the disease is one of the most harmful infectious diseases in duck raising industry. It is a challenge to prevent and control duck Tembusu viral disease in China.
The virus was isolated and identified firstly by the scientists in Shangha Veterinary Research Institute, and called formally as a strain of Tembusu virus (TMUV). Along with Dengue virus, West Nile virus and Japanese encephalitis virus, Tembusu virus belongs to the genus Flavivirus in Flaviviridea family. Tembusu virus can infect aquatic birds including ducks and geese and cause disease, moreover, the isolation of this virus from chickens and sparrows suggesting wide host species and potential hazard of Tembusu virus. 
The scientists in Shangha Veterinary Research Institute conducted serially passages of Tembusu virus isolate (FX2010) in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) and  obtained a non-pathogenic strain of Tembusu virus (Strain FX2010-180P)after several times purification. Although the non-pathogenic Tembusu virus cannot infect ducks intranasally or transmit between ducks, it has good immunogenicity and can induces high titer of neutralizing antibody. A live duck Tembusu viral disease vaccine was developed using the strain FX2010-180P. One-dose vaccination provided complete protection against the infection of Tembusu virus in half year.
Recently, The clinic trials of “Live Duck Tembusu Viral Disease Vaccine (Strain FX2010-180P)” was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China. The approval is a key step for this novel veterinary vaccine to be certificated and also bring a promising future for prevention and control of duck Tembusu viral disease.