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Vaccines2020; 8(3); 501; doi: 10.3390/vaccines8030501

Determining Equine Influenza Virus Vaccine Efficacy-The Specific Contribution of Strain Versus Other Vaccine Attributes.

Abstract: Vaccination is an effective tool to limit equine influenza virus (EIV H3N8) infection, a contagious respiratory disease with potentially huge economic impact. The study assessed the effects of antigenic change on vaccine efficacy and the need for strain update. Horses were vaccinated (V1 and V2) with an ISCOMatrix-adjuvanted, whole inactivated virus vaccine (Equilis Prequenza, group 2, FC1 and European strains) or a carbomer-adjuvanted, modified vector vaccine (ProteqFlu, group 3, FC1 and FC2 HA genes). Serology (SRH, HI, VN), clinical signs and viral shedding were assessed in comparison to unvaccinated control horses. The hypothesis was that group 2 (no FC2 vaccine strain) would be less well protected than group 3 following experimental infection with a recent FC2 field strain (A/equi-2/Wexford/14) 4.5 months after vaccination. All vaccinated horses had antibody titres to FC1 and FC2. After challenge, serology increased more markedly in group 3 than in group 2. Vaccinated horses had significantly lower total clinical scores and viral shedding. Unexpectedly, viral RNA shedding was significantly lower in group 2 than in group 3. Vaccination induced protective antibody titres to FC1 and FC2 and reduced clinical signs and viral shedding. The two tested vaccines provided equivalent protection against a recent FC2 EIV field strain.
Publication Date: 2020-09-03 PubMed ID: 32899189PubMed Central: PMC7564743DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030501Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article discusses the impact of different strains and attributes of equine influenza virus (EIV H3N8) vaccines on their efficacy. The study found that both a whole inactivated virus vaccine and a modified vector vaccine were equally effective against a recent field strain of the virus.

Objective and Hypothesis

  • The primary objective of the study was to investigate the implications of antigenic alterations on the efficacy of vaccines against equine influenza virus (EIV H3N8), a highly contagious respiratory disease in horses that can have significant economic consequences.
  • The researchers hypothesized that a vaccine group excluding the FC2 strain (group 2) would experience lesser protection than a group including it (group 3), after infection with a recent FC2 field strain.

Methodology

  • Horses were vaccinated with either an ISCOMatrix-adjuvanted, whole inactivated virus vaccine (Equilis Prequenza), featuring FC1 and European strains, or a carbomer-adjuvanted, modified vector vaccine (ProteqFlu), containing FC1 and FC2 HA genes.
  • Serology, clinical indications, and viral shedding were examined and compared to those in a control group of non-vaccinated horses.
  • The horses’ infections were induced with a recent FC2 field strain 4.5 months post-vaccination.

Findings

  • Results showed all vaccinated horses, regardless of vaccine group, displayed antibody titres to both FC1 and FC2.
  • After the induced infection, serology levels increased more notably in the group vaccinated with the FC1 and FC2 HA genes (group 3) than those vaccinated with the FC1 and European strains (group 2).
  • However, both groups of vaccinated horses demonstrated notably lower total clinical scores and viral shedding compared to the control.
  • In an unexpected finding, viral RNA shedding was found to be significantly lower in group 2 than in group 3.

Conclusion

  • The research concludes that both the whole inactivated virus vaccine and the modified vector vaccine were able to elicit protective antibody titres to FC1 and FC2, leading to reduced clinical signs and viral shedding in horses.
  • The two tested vaccines provided comparable protection against a recent FC2 EIV field strain, indicating that the efficacy of different EIV vaccines is not solely dependent on the specific strain but also involves other vaccine attributes.

Cite This Article

APA
Reemers S, Sonnemans D, Horspool L, van Bommel S, Cao Q, van de Zande S. (2020). Determining Equine Influenza Virus Vaccine Efficacy-The Specific Contribution of Strain Versus Other Vaccine Attributes. Vaccines (Basel), 8(3), 501. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8030501

Publication

ISSN: 2076-393X
NlmUniqueID: 101629355
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 8
Issue: 3
PII: 501

Researcher Affiliations

Reemers, Sylvia
  • MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, 5831 AN Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
Sonnemans, Denny
  • MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, 5831 AN Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
Horspool, Linda
  • MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, 5831 AN Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
van Bommel, Sander
  • MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, 5831 AN Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
Cao, Qi
  • MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, 5831 AN Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
van de Zande, Saskia
  • MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, 5831 AN Boxmeer, The Netherlands.

Conflict of Interest Statement

All authors are employed by the study sponsor (MSD Animal Health). The authors were not involved in performance of the animal phase of the study nor in collection of samples, clinical data, SRH data and qPCR data. Vaccines were masked during the study, laboratory analysis of the samples, and data analysis.

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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