Success and Limitation of Equine Influenza Vaccination: The First Incursion in a Decade of a Florida Clade 1 Equine Influenza Virus that Shakes Protection Despite High Vaccine Coverage.
Abstract: Every year, several epizooties of equine influenza (EI) are reported worldwide. However, no EI case has been identified in France between 2015 and late 2018, despite an effective field surveillance of the pathogen and the disease. Vaccination against equine influenza virus (EIV) remains to this day one of the most effective methods to prevent or limit EI outbreaks and the lack of detection of the pathogen could be linked to vaccination coverage. The aim of this study was to evaluate EI immunity and vaccine coverage in France through a large-scale serological study. A total of 3004 archived surplus serums from French horses of all ages, breeds and sexes were selected from four different geographical regions and categories (i.e., sanitary check prior to exportation, sale, breeding protocol or illness diagnosis). EIV-specific antibody response was measured by single radial hemolysis (SRH) and an EIV-nucleoprotein (NP) ELISA (used as a DIVA test). Overall immunity coverage against EIV infection (i.e., titers induced by vaccination and/or natural infection above the clinical protection threshold) reached 87.6%. The EIV NP ELISA results showed that 83% of SRH positive serum samples from young horses (≤3 years old) did not have NP antibodies, which indicates that the SRH antibody response was likely induced by EI vaccination alone (the HA recombinant canarypoxvirus-based EI vaccine is mostly used in France) and supports the absence of EIV circulation in French horse populations between 2015 and late 2018, as reported by the French equine infectious diseases surveillance network (RESPE). Results from this study confirm a strong EI immunity in a large cohort of French horses, which provides an explanation to the lack of clinical EI in France in recent years and highlights the success of vaccination against this disease. However, such EI protection has been challenged since late 2018 by the incursion in the EU of a Florida Clade 1 sub-lineage EIV (undetected in France since 2009), which is also reported here.
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The research paper studies the occurrence and protection against equine influenza (EI) in France by sampling and analyzing serums from French horses. Results indicate a high level of overall immunity but also suggest potential challenges from a Florida Clade 1 sub-lineage EIV.
Objectives and Methodology
The researchers aimed to estimate the immunity and vaccine coverage of EI in France by conducting a large-scale serological study. They used archived surplus serums from French horses across various ages, breeds, and contexts.
They quantified EIV-specific antibody response by single radial hemolysis (SRH) and EIV-nucleoprotein (NP) ELISA test.
Findings on Immunity and Vaccine Coverage
The results exhibited a robust immunity coverage (87.6%) against EIV infection among French horses, indicating an effective vaccination program.
SRH test results specified that the antibody response was likely induced by EI vaccination, as 83% of SRH positive serum samples from young horses didn’t have NP antibodies.
This supports the absence of EIV circulation in French horse population between 2015 and 2018, reasoning the absence of EI instances during these years.
Evidence of Challenges to EI Protection
The research findings also pointed out recent challenges to this EI protection. Since late 2018, there’s been the emergence of the Florida Clade 1 sub-lineage EIV, which wasn’t detected in France since 2009.
The arrival of such viruses could potentially pose new and significant obstacles in maintaining the current EI protection level in France.
Implications
The study solidifies the success of the EI vaccination program in France, given the high immunity rate witnessed in French horses.
However, it also underlines the need for continuous surveillance and adaptation of vaccines to maintain this success, considering the recent emergence of a sub-lineage EIV.
Cite This Article
APA
Fougerolle S, Fortier C, Legrand L, Jourdan M, Marcillaud-Pitel C, Pronost S, Paillot R.
(2019).
Success and Limitation of Equine Influenza Vaccination: The First Incursion in a Decade of a Florida Clade 1 Equine Influenza Virus that Shakes Protection Despite High Vaccine Coverage.
Vaccines (Basel), 7(4), 174.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7040174
Frank Duncombe, LABÉO, 14280 Saint Contest, France. st.fougerolle@gmail.com.
NORMANDIE UNIV UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14000 Caen, France. st.fougerolle@gmail.com.
Fortier, Christine
Frank Duncombe, LABÉO, 14280 Saint Contest, France. christine.fortier@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
NORMANDIE UNIV UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14000 Caen, France. christine.fortier@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
Legrand, Loïc
Frank Duncombe, LABÉO, 14280 Saint Contest, France. loic.legrand@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
NORMANDIE UNIV UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14000 Caen, France. loic.legrand@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
RESPE, 3 rue Nelson Mandela, 14280 Saint-Contest, France. loic.legrand@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
Jourdan, Marion
RESPE, 3 rue Nelson Mandela, 14280 Saint-Contest, France. technicien@respe.net.
Marcillaud-Pitel, Christel
RESPE, 3 rue Nelson Mandela, 14280 Saint-Contest, France. c.marcillaud-pitel@respe.net.
Pronost, Stéphane
Frank Duncombe, LABÉO, 14280 Saint Contest, France. stephane.pronost@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
NORMANDIE UNIV UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14000 Caen, France. stephane.pronost@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
RESPE, 3 rue Nelson Mandela, 14280 Saint-Contest, France. stephane.pronost@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
Paillot, Romain
Frank Duncombe, LABÉO, 14280 Saint Contest, France. romain.paillot@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
NORMANDIE UNIV UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14000 Caen, France. romain.paillot@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
RESPE, 3 rue Nelson Mandela, 14280 Saint-Contest, France. romain.paillot@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
Grant Funding
2017-008 / IFCE
N12-2017 / Fonds Eperon
17E01598/17P04324 / Ru00e9gion Normandie
Conflict of Interest Statement
Authors report no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.
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