Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections have led to an ongoing outbreak in humans, which was fueled by multiple zoonotic MERS-CoV introductions from dromedary camels. In ...addition to the implementation of hygiene measures to limit further camel-to-human and human-to-human transmissions, vaccine-mediated reduction of MERS-CoV spread from the animal reservoir may be envisaged. Here we show that a modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vaccine expressing the MERS-CoV spike protein confers mucosal immunity in dromedary camels. Compared with results for control animals, we observed a significant reduction of excreted infectious virus and viral RNA transcripts in vaccinated animals upon MERS-CoV challenge. Protection correlated with the presence of serum neutralizing antibodies to MERS-CoV. Induction of MVA-specific antibodies that cross-neutralize camelpox virus would also provide protection against camelpox.
Influenza A virus in swine herds represents a major problem for the swine industry and poses a constant threat for the emergence of novel pandemic viruses and the development of more effective ...influenza vaccines for pigs is desired. By optimizing the vector backbone and using a needle-free delivery method, we have recently demonstrated a polyvalent influenza DNA vaccine that induces a broad immune response, including both humoral and cellular immunity.
To investigate the protection of our polyvalent influenza DNA vaccine approach in a pig challenge study.
By intradermal needle-free delivery to the skin, we immunized pigs with two different doses (500μg and 800μg) of an influenza DNA vaccine based on six genes of pandemic origin, including internally expressed matrix and nucleoprotein and externally expressed hemagglutinin and neuraminidase as previously demonstrated. Two weeks following immunization, the pigs were challenged with the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus.
When challenged with 2009 pandemic H1N1, 0/5 vaccinated pigs (800μg DNA) became infected whereas 5/5 unvaccinated control pigs were infected. The pigs vaccinated with the low dose (500μg DNA) were only partially protected. The DNA vaccine elicited binding-, hemagglutination inhibitory (HI) − as well as cross-reactive neutralizing antibody activity and neuraminidase inhibiting antibodies in the immunized pigs, in a dose-dependent manner.
The present data, together with the previously demonstrated immunogenicity of our influenza DNA vaccine, indicate that naked DNA vaccine technology provides a strong approach for the development of improved pig vaccines, applying realistic low doses of DNA and a convenient delivery method for mass vaccination.
Els temes de bioseguretat, biocontenció i bioprotecció
no són sempre completament entesos per molts científics i
comparteixen, pel públic en general, alguns significats ominosos.
El sentit últim de ...les paraules prèviament esmentades
però també el disseny, la construcció i el funcionament
d'aquests tipus de instal·lacions seran discutides tenint en
compte els significats complementaris. El disseny, la construcció
i la posada en marxa d'una unitat de biocontenció, requereixen
d'equips complementaris (i de vegades oposats) de
persones que juguen els papers d'arquitectes, enginyers,
científics però també de funcionaris.
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