Sickness and recovery of dogs challenged with a street rabies virus after vaccination with a vaccinia virus recombinant expressing rabies virus N protein.
Dogs were vaccinated intradermally with vaccinia virus recombinants expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein (G protein) or nucleoprotein (N protein) or a combination of both proteins. The dogs vaccinated with either the G or G plus N proteins developed virus-neutralizing antibody titers, whereas those vaccinated with only the N protein did not. All dogs were then challenged with a lethal dose of a street rabies virus, which killed all control dogs. Dogs vaccinated with the G or G plus N proteins were protected. Five (71%) of seven dogs vaccinated with the N protein sickened, with incubation periods 3 to 7 days shorter than that of the control dogs; however, three (60%) of the five rabid dogs recovered without supportive treatment. Thus, five (71%) of seven vaccinated with the rabies N protein were protected against a street rabies challenge. Our data indicate that rabies virus N protein may be involved in reducing the incubation period in dogs primed with rabies virus N protein and then challenged with a street rabies virus and, of more importance, in subsequent sickness and recovery.
Fekadu
M
M
Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
Sumner
J W
JW
Shaddock
J H
JH
Sanderlin
D W
DW
Baer
G M
GM
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002213:Capsid / Q000502:physiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins