title: Technologies for the development of West Nile virus vaccines.
abstract: West Nile virus (WNV), an emerging mosquito-borne and zoonotic flavivirus, continues to spread worldwide and represents a major problem for human and veterinary medicine. In recent years, severe outbreaks were observed in the USA and Europe with neighboring countries, and the virus is considered to be endemic in an increasing number of areas. Although most infections remain asymptomatic, WNV can cause severe, even fatal, neurological disease, which affects mostly the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Several vaccines have been licensed in the veterinary sector, but no human vaccine is available today. This review summarizes recent strategies that are being followed to develop WNV vaccines with emphasis on technologies suitable for the use in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy & Immunology, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulbert
authors.forename: Sofia E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Magnusson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000662:veterinary; D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines
keywords: West Nile Virus; animal models; emerging virus; protective immune responses; vaccine development