title: Immunogenicity of novel consensus-based DNA vaccines against avian influenza.
abstract: The frequency of H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks in China and Eastern Europe has raised concern in the world health community regarding the potential for an influenza pandemic. Efforts to monitor the disease will only provide minimal warning in a global society, and steps must be taken to prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with past pandemics. The current stockpiling of antibody-inducing "bird flu" vaccines assumes the strain that emerges will be the same as strains currently circulating. We propose a novel consensus-based approach to vaccine development, employing a DNA vaccine strategy that can provide more highly cross-reactive cellular immunity against lethal influenza infection. We show such constructs can induce strong cellular immunity against H5 influenza antigens.
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Dominick J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Laddy
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Corbitt
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Gary P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kobinger
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA