Immunization of dogs with a DNA vaccine induces protection against rabies virus.
Rabies is a fatal encephalomyelitis which is transmitted to man, mostly by dogs in developing countries. This zoonosis can be prevented by vaccination of humans before or after exposure. However, a more radical approach is possible, involving the elimination of the principal vector/reservoir by vaccinating dogs. The vaccine must be effective, safe and inexpensive. Mass production of plasmids is possible and DNA-based immunization with a plasmid encoding the antigen responsible for inducing protection seems to be more cost-effective than classical techniques involving cell culture. Beagles were immunized by intramuscular (i.m.) injection with a plasmid encoding the rabies virus (PV strain) glycoprotein. Neutralizing antibodies against both wild-type rabies virus and European Bat Lyssaviruses (EBL1 and EBL2) were detected after a single injection and a boost, but levels of neutralizing antibodies against EBL1 were low. Moreover, all vaccinated dogs were protected against a lethal challenge with a wild-type dog rabies strain. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate that dogs can be protected by DNA vaccines, and opens important perspectives for rabies control.
Perrin
P
P
Laboratoire des Lyssavirus; Institut Pasteur 25, rue du Dr. Roux 75724, Paris Cedex, France. pperrin@pasteur.fr
Jacob
Y
Y
Aguilar-Sétien
A
A
Loza-Rubio
E
E
Jallet
C
C
Desmézières
E
E
Aubert
M
M
Cliquet
F
F
Tordo
N
N
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D018114:Lyssavirus / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA