Serological Responses of Raccoons and Striped Skunks to Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait in West Virginia during 2012–2016

Since the 1990s, oral rabies vaccination (ORV) has been used successfully to halt the westward spread of the raccoon rabies virus (RV) variant from the eastern continental USA. Elimination of raccoon RV from the eastern USA has proven challenging across targeted raccoon (Procyon lotor) and striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) populations impacted by raccoon RV. Field trial evaluations of the Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (ONRAB) were initiated to expand ORV products available to meet the rabies management goal of raccoon RV elimination. This study describes the continuation of a 2011 trial in West Virginia. Our objective was to evaluate raccoon and skunk response to ORV occurring in West Virginia for an additional two years (2012–2013) at 75 baits/km² followed by three years (2014–2016) of evaluation at 300 baits/km². We measured the change in rabies virus-neutralizing antibody (RVNA) seroprevalence in targeted wildlife populations by comparing levels pre- and post-ORV during each year of study. The increase in bait density from 75/km² to 300/km² corresponded to an increase in average post-ORV seroprevalence for raccoon and skunk populations. Raccoon population RVNA levels increased from 53% (300/565, 95% CI: 50–57%) to 82.0% (596/727, 95% CI: 79–85%) during this study, and skunk population RVNA levels increased from 11% (8/72, 95% CI: 6–20%) to 39% (51/130, 95% CI: 31–48%). The RVNA seroprevalence pre-ORV demonstrated an increasing trend across study years for both bait densities and species, indicating that multiple years of ORV may be necessary to achieve and maintain RVNA seroprevalence in target wildlife populations for the control and elimination of raccoon RV in the eastern USA.     

胸腺肽增强狂犬病疫苗免疫效果的研究

目的　探索胸腺肽作为人用纯化Vero -细胞狂犬病疫苗佐剂的可能性。　方法　分为单针和多针狂犬疫苗免疫方案。单针免疫是用狂犬疫苗 1支加胸腺肽 1针免疫 ;多针免疫按常规五针免疫程序 (即 0、3、7、14、2 8d各注射1针 ) ,加胸腺肽组按三针免疫程序 (即 0、7、2 8d各注射 1针 ) ,实验小白鼠每只均以狂犬病疫苗 0 .2ml与胸腺肽混合后肌肉注射。　结果　单针免疫加入胸腺肽 ( 2mg/只 )后抗体效价高且抗体产生时间早 ,抗体水平显著高于疫苗组 (P <0 .0 1)。而且加入胸腺肽 ( 6mg/只 )后免疫三针可达到五针常规疫苗免疫效果。　结论　胸腺肽作为人用纯化Vero -细胞狂犬病疫苗的佐剂可减少免疫次数。     

新型重组人源抗狂犬病毒糖蛋白单链抗体的制备及活性分析

目的：利用大肠杆菌表达新型人源抗狂犬病毒糖蛋白单链抗体ScFv,并验证其活性。方法：采用基因融合获得ScFv基因,构建重组表达质粒pET-22b（＋）-ScFv,转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）,经IPTG诱导获得高效表达。结果：Western印迹显示目的蛋白表达正确,表达产物以包涵体形式存在,经Ni-NTA柱纯化和体外复性,获得纯度达90%的ScFv蛋白。ELISA结果显示在PBS及人血清中ScFv的结合稳定性有所提高,流式细胞术证明目的蛋白能靶向结合狂犬病毒,通过中和效价测定实验测得ScFv的中和效价为40 U/mg。结论：成功利用原核表达系统实现了对人源抗GPRV ScFv的表达,并且具有一定的中和活性。     

Non–rabies Lyssavirus human encephalitis from fruit bats: Australian bat Lyssavirus (pteropid Lyssavirus) infection

A 39-year-old woman died of encephalitis a few weeks after being scratched by fruit bats. Autopsy disclosed meningoencephalomyelitis, and revealed neuronal intracytoplasmic inclusions which had similarities to Negri bodies of rabies. Laboratory investigations detected a Lyssavirus type previously identified only in fruit bats. This appears to be the first human case of encephalitis due to this Lyssavirus type.     

Rabies virus binding at neuromuscular junctions

Morphological, immunocytochemical, biochemical, and immunological techniques have been used to describe rabies virus binding to a sub-cellular unit and molecular complex at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Early after infection in vivo, virus antigen and virus particles were found by immunofluorescence, electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy in regions of high density acetylcholine receptors (AChR) at NMJs. One monoclonal antibody (alpha-Mab) to the alpha subunit of the AChR blocked attachment of radio-labeled rabies virus to cultured muscle cells bearing high density patches of AChR. A sub-cellular structure, resembling an array of AChR monomers, bound both rabies virus antigens and alpha-Mab. By immunoblotting with electrophoretically transferred motor endplate proteins, rabies virus proteins and alpha-Mab bound to two proteins of 43 000 and 110 000 daltons. A rabies virus glycoprotein antibody detected virus antigen bound to the 110 000 dalton protein. An auto-immune (anti-idiotypic) response followed immunization of mice with rabies virus glycoprotein antigen; the antibody was directed to the 110 000 dalton protein. This auto-antibody altered the kinetics of neutralization by rabies virus antibody and induced the formation of rabies virus antibody after inoculation of mice. These results define, at the neuromuscular junction, a rabies virus receptor which may be part of the acetylcholine receptor complex.     

中国狂犬病毒疫苗株（5aG）糖蛋白基因在痘苗病毒中的表达及免疫效果观察

将克隆到的中国狂犬病毒疫苗株（５ａＧ）的糖蛋白基因重组到痘苗病毒ＴＫ区，并在痘苗病毒Ｐ１１启动子的控制下，构建了狂犬－痘苗重组病毒（ＶＶａＧ）。经间接免疫荧光和Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ免疫印染证明，重组病毒ＶＶａＧ能良好地表达狂犬病毒糖蛋白，其分子量约为６６００。用ＶＶａＧ免疫小鼠，７ｄ便可诱生较高的狂犬病毒中和抗体，２１ｄ达４１６９，并能１００％保护狂犬病毒本毒株和国际标准攻击毒（ＣＶＳ）的致死量攻击。     

Construction of Canine Herpesvirus Vector Expressing Foreign Genes Using a lacZ-TK Gene Cassette as a Double Selectional Marker

An improved method for constructing canine herpesvirus (CHV) recombinants expressing foreign genes by using the lacZ-TK gene cassette as a double selectional marker was developed. A recombinant CHV carrying the lacZ-TK gene at a targeted gene locus was constructed and used as a parental virus for generating new recombinants. The parental virus formed blue plaques and was sensitive to TK-specific drugs, while newly generated recombinants, in which the lacZ-TK gene was replaced with the desired foreign gene, become both resistant to the TK-specific drugs and formed white plaques. Recombinants were isolated by using the combination of drug selection and color selection. This improved method allows construction of recombinant CHV with great ease, because the drug selection can enrich the frequency of recombinant CHV from 0.01–0.1% to 10–80%. This method was employed to construct a recombinant CHV that expressed rabies virus (RV) glycoprotein (G protein). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cytotoxicity reactions against target cells infected with rabies virus

Some aspects of the cytotoxicity reactions were studied in the rabies system. The antibodydependent complement cytotoxicity (ADC), the cellular cytotoxicity (CC), and the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) are shown, being the cytotoxic effect as evidenced by the ⁵¹Cr released from the cells infected with the Pasteur strain of rabies virus. Some parameters such as time of cellular infection, the amount of infected cells, the concentration of complement, and the incubation time of the ADC reaction, which help to increase the performance of this reaction, are discussed. The detection and the level of the cellular response against the Pasteur strain of rabies virus in immunized mice is shown. Evidence is presented that in the ADCC test, specific human antibodies and non-immune human lymphoid cells are able to mediate in vitro lysis of cells infected with rabies virus. A comparison of the ADCC test with serum neutralization and immunoenzymatic tests is shown.     

Comparative sequence analysis of the M gene among rabies virus strains and its expression by recombinant vaccinia virus

Nucleotide sequences and the deduced amino acid sequences of the gene encoding the matrix (M) protein of the Nishigahara and the CVS strains of rabies virus have been determined. The M gene is 609 nucleotides long and is capable of coding for a peptide composed of 202 amino acids. Sequence comparison of these M genes with those of other stains [Pasteur (PV), ERA, Avol] revealed that there is 89.7–91.5% homology at the nucleotide level, and 90.1–92.1% homology at amino acid level, between almost all combinations of these strains. However, in the combinations of the PV and ERA strains, and the virulent CVS and the avirulent CVS-derived Avol strains, much higher homology was observed both at the nucleotide and amino acid levels. The predicted secondary structure and hydropathy profiles also exhibited similar features. Recombinant vaccinia virus containing the M gene was constructed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO₄)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the precipitates obtained by immune reaction of the recombinant virus-infected cell lysate with a monoclonal antibody against the M protein revealed that electrophoretic mobility of the expressed protein is indistinguishable from that of the authentic M protein from rabies virions.The nucleotide sequence data of the M genes of the CVS and Nishigahara (RCEH) strains reported in this paper will appear in the DDBJ, EMBL, and GenBank Nucleotide Sequence Databases under the accession numbers D90450 and D90451.     

Serum-free purified Vero rabies vaccine is safe and immunogenic in children: Results of a randomized phase II pre-exposure prophylaxis regimen study

BackgroundA serum-free, highly purified Vero rabies vaccine (PVRV-NG) has been developed with no animal or human components and low residual DNA content. A phase II randomized clinical study aimed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of the immune response and assess the safety profile of PVRV-NG versus a licensed human diploid cell culture rabies vaccine (HDCV) in a pre-exposure regimen in healthy children and adolescents in the Philippines.MethodologyChildren aged 2–11 years and adolescents aged 12–17 years were randomized (2:1) to receive three injections of either PVRV-NG or HDCV (on day [D] 0, D7 and D28). Rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies (RVNA) were measured at D0, D42 and 6 months after the first injection (month [M] 6). Safety was assessed during the vaccination period and up to 28 days after the last vaccination. Serious adverse events were followed until 6 months after last vaccination.Principal findings342 healthy participants (171 children and 171 adolescents) were randomized and followed for 6 months after the last dose. All participants in both groups had an RVNA titer ≥ 0.5 IU/ml at D42, demonstrating non-inferiority in seroconversion rate for PVRV-NG versus HDCV. Over 90% of participants had RVNA titer ≥ 0.5 IU/ml at M6. PVRV-NG was well tolerated after each vaccination and up to 6 months following the last dose. There were no major safety concerns during the study, and the type and severity of solicited adverse events was similar for both treatment groups.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the non-inferior immune profile of PVRV-NG compared with HDCV in a pre-exposure setting within a pediatric population. PVRV-NG was well tolerated with no safety concerns. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01930357) and EU Clinical Trials Register (2015–003203-30).