Abstract: Equine influenza virus remains an important problem in horses despite extensive use of vaccination. Efficacy of equine influenza vaccination depends on the onset and duration of protective immunity, and appropriate strain specificity of the immune response. This study was designed to test the protective immunity resulting from vaccination with the North American commercial ALVAC equine influenza vaccine (RECOMBITEK Influenza, Merial, USA)(1) against challenge with American lineage influenza viruses. In experiment 1, 12 ponies were vaccinated twice, at a 35 day interval, using the ALVAC-influenza vaccine expressing the HA genes of influenza A/eq/Newmarket/2/93 and A/eq/Kentucky/94 (H3N8), and 11 ponies served as unvaccinated controls. Six months after the second vaccination, all ponies were challenged with A/eq/Kentucky/91. In experiment 2, 10 ponies received one dose of the ALVAC-influenza vaccine, 10 ponies served as unvaccinated controls, and all ponies were challenge infected with A/equine/Ohio/03, 14 days after vaccination. Parameters studied included serological responses, and clinical disease and nasal viral shedding following challenge infection. In experiment 1, following the two-dose regimen, vaccinated ponies generated high titered anti-influenza virus IgGa and IgGb antibody responses to vaccination and demonstrated statistically significant clinical and virological protection to challenge infection compared to controls. Infection with A/eq/Kentucky/91 produced unusually severe signs in ponies in the control group, requiring therapy with NSAID's and antibiotics, and leading to the euthanasia of one pony. In experiment 2 following the one-dose regimen, vaccinates generated IgGa responses pre-challenge, and anamnestic IgGa and IgGb responses after challenge. Vaccinates demonstrated statistically significant clinical and virological protection to challenge infection compared to controls. The results of this study clearly demonstrate the early onset, and 6-month duration of protective immunity resulting from ALVAC-influenza vaccination against challenge with American lineage equine influenza viruses.
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
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 explores the efficacy of the ALVAC equine influenza vaccine in providing long-term immunity to horses against influenza, examining the onset and durability of protective immune responses.
Research Purpose and Design
The study’s objective was to evaluate the protective immunity offered by the North American commercial ALVAC equine influenza vaccine.
The researchers used two experiments to examine this. In both experiments, the horses, termed ‘ponies’ in the study, were divided into vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
The experiments tested two factors: the onset of immunity, and the duration of immunity.
The effects of the vaccine were measured through parameters such as serological (blood serum-related) responses, clinical manifestations of disease, and nasal viral shedding following challenge infection.
Experiment 1 Details and Results
12 ponies were given two doses of the ALVAC-influenza vaccine at an interval of 35 days, and 11 ponies served as unvaccinated controls.
They were all then exposed to the A/eq/Kentucky/91 influenza virus, six months after the second vaccination.
Results showed that vaccinated ponies developed high anti-influenza virus IgGa and IgGb antibody responses.
There was statically significant clinical and virological protection in vaccinated ponies when compared to the control group.
Influenza manifested itself in a severe form in the control group, causing the need for therapy and even leading to euthanasia of one pony.
Experiment 2 Details and Results
In the second experiment, 10 ponies received one dose of the ALVAC-influenza vaccine and were exposed to the A/equine/Ohio/03 influenza virus 14 days after vaccination. Another group of 10 ponies served as unvaccinated controls.
The vaccinated group showed an IgGa response before exposure to the virus and demonstrated an enhanced IgGa and IgGb response after exposure.
As with Experiment 1, the vaccinated group showed statistically significant clinical and virological protection against the influenza infection compared to the control group.
Study Conclusion
The findings of the study provide evidence that the ALVAC-influenza vaccination triggers an early onset of immune responses and promotes a sustained, 6-month duration of protective immunity against American lineage equine influenza viruses.
This indicates the usefulness of the vaccine in providing long term protection against equine influenza, a major health concern in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Soboll G, Hussey SB, Minke JM, Landolt GA, Hunter JS, Jagannatha S, Lunn DP.
(2009).
Onset and duration of immunity to equine influenza virus resulting from canarypox-vectored (ALVAC) vaccination.
Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 135(1-2), 100-107.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2009.11.007
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Hussey, Stephen B
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Minke, Jules M
Merial S.A.S., 254 rue Marcel Merieux, 69007 Lyon, France.
Landolt, Gabriele A
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Hunter, James S
Merial Limited, 6498 Jade Road, Fulton, MO 65251, USA.
Jagannatha, Shyla
School of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50010, USA.
Lunn, David P
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Electronic address: lunnp@mail.colostate.edu.
MeSH Terms
Animals
Antibodies, Viral / blood
Antibody Formation / immunology
Canarypox virus
Horse Diseases / immunology
Horse Diseases / prevention & control
Horse Diseases / virology
Horses / immunology
Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / immunology
Influenza Vaccines / immunology
Influenza Vaccines / therapeutic use
Male
Orthomyxoviridae Infections / immunology
Orthomyxoviridae Infections / prevention & control
Aida V, Pliasas VC, Neasham PJ, North JF, McWhorter KL, Glover SR, Kyriakis CS. Novel Vaccine Technologies in Veterinary Medicine: A Herald to Human Medicine Vaccines. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:654289.
Sánchez-Sampedro L, Perdiguero B, Mejías-Pérez E, García-Arriaza J, Di Pilato M, Esteban M. The evolution of poxvirus vaccines. Viruses 2015 Apr 7;7(4):1726-803.
Laidlaw SM, Robey R, Davies M, Giotis ES, Ross C, Buttigieg K, Goodbourn S, Skinner MA. Genetic screen of a mutant poxvirus library identifies an ankyrin repeat protein involved in blocking induction of avian type I interferon. J Virol 2013 May;87(9):5041-52.