title: Poxvirus-vectored vaccines for rabies--a review.
abstract: Oral rabies vaccination of target reservoir species has proved to be one of the pillars of successful rabies elimination programs. The use of live attenuated rabies virus vaccines has been extensive but several limitations hamper its future use. A recombinant vaccinia-rabies vaccine has also been successfully used for the oral vaccination of several species. Nevertheless, its lack of efficacy in certain important rabies reservoirs and concerns on the use of this potent live virus as vaccine carrier (vector) impair the expansion of its use for new target species and new areas. Several attenuated and host-restricted poxvirus alternatives, which supposedly offer enhanced safety, have been investigated. Once again, efficacy in certain target species and innocuity through the oral route remain major limitations of these vaccines. Alternative recombinant vaccines using adenovirus as an antigen delivery vector have been extensively investigated and may provide an important addition to the currently available oral rabies vaccine repertoire, but are not the primary subject of this review.
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Unit, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa. jacquelinew@nicd.ac.za
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weyer
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.forename: Louis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Nel
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D011212:Poxviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic