Marker vaccine potential of a partial VP1 deleted foot and mouth disease virus

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Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus causes a highly infectious vesicular disease of cloven hoofed animals. Although mortality rates are generally low, outbreaks of FMD are economically devastating, illustrated by the UK 2001 outbreak (greater than 12Bn Euros). Control can be improved by the use of vaccination. However, current FMD vaccines have limitations, leading to reluctance of use, particularly in countries which are usually free from disease. One such limitation is the identification of persistently infected animals which is problematic using current technology. This problem could be overcome by the use of specifically engineered marker vaccines, however none are presently available. Using in vitro analysis of serum collected during a trial at IAH, we have discovered that a vaccine lacking the antigenic portion of the VP1 protein has potential as a marker vaccine for FMD. It was not possible to evaluate this hypothesis by challenge. However, serology was consistent with protection in cattle. The proposed project aims to evaluate this hypothesis by undertaking a vaccination/challenge study in cattle using a vaccine virus lacking an antigenic region of the VP1 protein.

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