Highly attenuated smallpox vaccine protects rabbits and mice against pathogenic orthopoxvirus challenge.
The possible reemergence of smallpox through bioterrorism requires the preparation of adequate stockpiles of vaccine. Dryvax, the only US-licensed vaccinia virus smallpox vaccine, has an unacceptable safety profile in the pre-event setting. LC16m8 is a Japanese-licensed attenuated vaccinia virus strain that has been safely used in over 50,000 persons. Until now, efficacy of this vaccine was unproven. Using two animal models, we show that LC16m8 and Dryvax elicit comparable humoral immune responses after a single vaccination and equivalently protect against lethal poxvirus disease. Thus, LC16m8 shows promise as a safe and effective smallpox vaccine with the potential for replacing Dryvax.
Empig
Cyril
C
VaxGen Inc., 347 Oyster Point Boulevard, Suite 102, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA. cempig@vaxgen.com
Kenner
Julie R
JR
Perret-Gentil
Marcel
M
Youree
Bryan E
BE
Bell
Edward
E
Chen
Allen
A
Gurwith
Marc
M
Higgins
Keith
K
Lock
Michael
M
Rice
Amanda D
AD
Schriewer
Jill
J
Sinangil
Faruk
F
White
Elizabeth
E
Buller
R Mark
RM
Dermody
Terence S
TS
Isaacs
Stuart N
SN
Moyer
Richard W
RW
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D018155:Orthopoxvirus; D011213:Poxviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011817:Rabbits; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated