Division of Biological Products, Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), P.O. Izatnagar-243 122, India.
Abstracts of the papers presented at the XVIII National Conference of Indian Virological Society at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, December 11–13, 2008.
A new Combined sheep pox and Peste des Petits ruminants (PPR) vaccine was developed and evaluated. Safety and immunogenicity of an experimental Combined Vaccine comprising of attenuated strains of Peste des Petits ruminants virus (PPRV-Sungri/96 strain) and sheep pox virus Romanian Fanar (RF) strain was studied in animals. The Sheep immunized subcutaneously with 1ml of live attenuated vaccine consisting of 103 TCID50 each of freeze-dried virus were monitored for clinical and serological responses for a period of 4 weeks post-immunization (pi) and two week post challenge (pc). Specific antibodies directed to sheep pox virus (SPV) could be demonstrated by indirect ELISA and serum neutralization test (SNT). Competitive ELISA and SNT were used for demonstration of antibodies to PPR virus. All the immunized animals resisted challenge with virulent SPV or PPRV on day 30 pi, while control animals developed characteristic signs of disease. Virus specific antigens could be detected in the unvaccinated control animals after challenge but not from any of the immunized sheep. Combined vaccine was found to be safe and potent as evident from sero-conversion as well as challenge studies in sheep. This indicates that both Sheep Pox & PPR vaccine viruses did not interfere with the immunogenicity of each other. It can be used in target population for economic vaccination strategies. The use of Combined Vaccine against Sheep Pox & PPR will help in simultaneous control of Sheep Pox & PPR and eventually eradication of these diseases in the country.
