Protective vaccination of ferrets against canine distemper with recombinant pox virus vaccines expressing the H or F genes of rinderpest virus.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the ability of rinderpest virus (RPV) antigens, expressed in pox virus vectors, to protect against canine distemper virus (CDV) infection in ferrets.


METHODS
Ferrets (Mustela putorius; n = 27) with no previous exposure to CDV.


METHODS
Ferrets were inoculated intradermally with recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing the H gene of RPV, the F gene of RPV, the H and F genes of RPV, or fowlpox virus recombinant expressing both genes. Two ferrets were vaccinated s.c. with CDV vaccine as positive controls, and 1 group was left unvaccinated as a negative control. Blood was obtained from ferrets biweekly; antibody titer to RPV was detected by ELISA, and CDV antibody titer was measured by serum neutralization testing and ELISA.


RESULTS
Partial protection was seen in all groups, with vRVFH vaccination being the most protective (60%).


CONCLUSIONS
A single inoculation with a vaccinia virus expressing the H and F genes of RPV was able to protect 60% of the vaccinated ferrets challenge exposed with a high dose of CDV. These results indicate the ability of RPV antigens expressed by vaccinia virus to protect ferrets against a related morbillivirus. Further, they document the safety and efficacy of a recombinant vaccinia virus vaccine for ferrets. Such vaccines may be useful given the susceptibility of ferrets to CDV and the problem of maternal antibody interfering with vaccination of young animals.
Jones
L
L
Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Tenorio
E
E
Gorham
J
J
Yilma
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D004216:Distemper / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005289:Ferrets / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D018103:Morbillivirus / Q000276:immunology; D018185:Morbillivirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D011212:Poxviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012302:Rinderpest virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines