Protection against turkey rhinotracheitis pneumovirus (TRTV) induced by a fowlpox virus recombinant expressing the TRTV fusion glycoprotein (F).
A recombinant fowlpox virus was produced which expressed the fusion protein (F) of turkey rhinotracheitis virus (TRTV), a pneumovirus. Turkey poults were vaccinated twice, at an interval of 2 weeks, intramuscularly and by wing web on each occasion, with the recombinant or a control fowlpox virus. Two weeks after the second vaccination the poults were challenged superconjunctivally and intranasally with virulent TRTV. A partially protective immune response was achieved; turkeys vaccinated with the F recombinant showed milder clinical signs and 1000-fold less challenge virus was recovered from the nose and trachea compared with turkeys that had been vaccinated with control fowlpox virus. Expression of the F protein induced antibodies which were detectable both by an ELISA and a virus neutralization test. These results show that the immune responses to the F protein play a major role in protection against TRTV and indicate that recombinant viruses expressing the TRTV F protein have potential as vaccines against TRT.
Qingzhong
Y
Y
AFRC Institute for Animal Health, Compton Laboratory, Newbury, Berkshire, UK.
Barrett
T
T
Brown
T D
TD
Cook
J K
JK
Green
P
P
Skinner
M A
MA
Cavanagh
D
D
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005587:Fowlpox virus / Q000235:genetics*; D018111:Pneumovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology*; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines