How to Meet the Last OIE Expert Surveillance Panel Recommendations on Equine Influenza (EI) Vaccine Composition: A Review of the Process Required for the Recombinant Canarypox-Based EI Vaccine.

Romain Paillot,Fernando Montesso,Nicola Rash,Leah Prowse-Davis,Laurent Lemaitre,Agnes Dancer,Sonia Wittreck,Dion Garrett,Jean-Christophe Thibault,Ann Cullinane

doi:10.3390/pathogens5040064

Romain Paillot, Fernando Montesso + Show 8 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens5040064

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Abstract

Vaccination is highly effective to prevent, control, and limit the impact of equine influenza (EI), a major respiratory disease of horses. However, EI vaccines should contain relevant equine influenza virus (EIV) strains for optimal protection. The OIE expert surveillance panel annually reviews EIV evolution and, since 2010, the use of Florida clade 1 and 2 sub-lineages representative vaccine strains is recommended. This report summarises the development process of a fully- updated recombinant canarypox-based EI vaccine in order to meet the last OIE recommendations, including the vaccine mode of action, production steps and schedule. The EI vaccine ProteqFlu contains 2 recombinant canarypox viruses expressing the haemagglutinin of the A/equine/Ohio/03 and A/equine/Richmond/1/07 isolates (Florida clade 1 and 2 sub-lineages, respectively). The updated EI vaccine was tested for efficacy against the representative Florida clade 2 EIV strain A/equine/Richmond/1/07 in the Welsh mountain pony model. Protective antibody response, clinical signs of disease and virus shedding were compared with unvaccinated control ponies. Significant protection was measured in vaccinated ponies, which supports the vaccine registration. The recombinant canarypox-based EI vaccine was the first fully updated EI vaccine available in the EU, which will help to minimise the increasing risk of vaccine breakdown due to constant EIV evolution through antigenic drift.

Highlights

Equine Influenza (EI) is considered to be one of the most important respiratory diseases of horses, with welfare implications and the risk of substantial economic loss for the equine industry in the event of large outbreaks
EI vaccine testedClade for efficacy against the representative FC2 equine influenza virus (EIV) strain A/equine/Richmond/1/07 in the Welsh mountain pony model
The updated recombinant canarypox-based EI vaccine was tested for efficacy against the seronegative Welsh mountain ponies were vaccinated at minimum protective dose

Summary

Introduction

Equine Influenza (EI) is considered to be one of the most important respiratory diseases of horses, with welfare implications and the risk of substantial economic loss for the equine industry in the event of large outbreaks. This was well illustrated during the 2007. The equine influenza virus (EIV; the EI causative agent) constantly evolves in order to escape natural and/or vaccine immunities. Modification of EIV antigens ( called antigenic drift) may lead to Pathogens 2016, 5, 64; doi:10.3390/pathogens5040064 www.mdpi.com/journal/pathogens escape natural and/or vaccine Modification. In order to avoid EI vaccine breakdown and the associated risk of the circulating and theevolution

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