Limited efficacy of West Nile virus vaccines in large falcons (Falco spp.).
West Nile virus (WNV) can lead to fatal diseases in raptor species. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine which has been designed specifically for use in breeding stocks of falcons. Therefore the immunogenicity and protective capacity of two commercially available WNV vaccines, both approved for use in horses, were evaluated in large falcons. One vaccine contained adjuvanted inactivated WNV lineage 1 immunogens, while the second represented a canarypox recombinant live virus vector vaccine. The efficacy of different vaccination regimes for these two vaccines was assessed serologically and by challenging the falcons with a WNV strain of homologous lineage 1. Our studies show that the recombinant vaccine conveys a slightly better protection than the inactivated vaccine, but moderate (recombinant vaccine) or weak (inactivated vaccine) side effects were observed at the injection sites. Using the recommended 2-dose regimen, both vaccines elicited only sub-optimal antibody responses and gave only partial protection following WNV challenge. Better results were obtained for both vaccines after a third dose, i.e. alleviation of clinical signs, absence of fatalities and reduction of virus shedding and viraemia. Therefore the consequences of WNV infections in falcons can be clearly alleviated by vaccination, especially if the amended triple administration scheme is used, although side effects at the vaccination site must be accepted.
Joke
J
Angenvoort
Dominik
D
Fischer
Christine
C
Fast
Ute
U
Ziegler
Martin
M
Eiden
Jorge Garcia
JG
de la Fuente
Michael
M
Lierz
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany. martin.groschup@fli.bund.de.
Martin H
MH
Groschup
D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D046093:Falconiformes; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000276:immunology; D014766:Viremia / Q000662:veterinary; D017201:Virus Shedding; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines