Rabies virus

Rabies virus ; physiology

Objective: To study the lineages of rabies virus and the epidemic characteristics in different provincial populations of China, to provide information for the development of control and prevention measures in each respective provinces. Methods: Full length N and G genes and full-genome of epidemic strains of rabies virus collected in China were downloaded from GenBank and combined with newly sequenced strains by our lab. Each strain was classified under six lineages of China rabies by constructing phylogenetic trees based on the N or G sequences. Numbers of strains and lineages in each province were counted and compared. Results: Six lineages (China Ⅰ-Ⅵ) were prevalent in China, with 4 found in Yunnan and Hunan. In 6 provinces, including Henan and Fujian, 3 lineages were found. In 8 provinces, including Shanghai and Jiangxi, 2 lineages were found Only 1 lineage, were found in Beijing, Tianjin and other 12 provinces. the China Ⅰ, was the dominant one in 25 provinces. In recent years, China Ⅲ had been found in wild animals and spread over livestock in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang areas. Qinghai and Tibet had been influenced by China Ⅳ, which also been found in wild animals of Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang. Conclusion: There had been obvious differences in lineages and strain numbers of rabies virus identified in different provinces in China.
Animals ; China/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Rabies/epidemiology* ; Rabies virus ; Tibet

PURPOSE: To fight animal rabies, Moroccan veterinary authorities organize annual dog mass vaccination campaigns using Rabivac vaccine, an inactivated adjuvanted cell culture veterinary rabies vaccine. Two experiments were undertaken to assess the efficacy and immunogenicity of Rabivac. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The first experiment involved 13 caged dogs (8 vaccinated and 5 negative controls). Dogs were bled at day 0 (D0) and at days D7, D14, D21, D28, D35, D49, D56, D64, D70, D77, D84, D91, D98, D105, D112, and D119 post-vaccination. At D121, a virulent challenge was performed. After 70 days monitoring period, seven out of eight vaccinated dogs survived the challenge (one dog succumbed to a mesenteric torsion accident) and four out of five controls succumbed. All vaccinated dogs seroconverted and the control dogs remained negative. The second experiment consisted in a field study involving 919 owned dogs randomly selected in eight Moroccan districts located in different parts of the country. The dogs were identified and vaccinated by the parenteral route and bled on the vaccination day (D0) and on D30. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent of dogs developed a positive rabies virus neutralizing antibody response to vaccination and 24% were positive at D0, suggesting that dogs were previously vaccinated. The increase in rabies antibody titers was highly significant in all districts. No significant difference seemed occurring between the geographical status (rural, semiurban, or urban) of the districts on the results obtained. CONCLUSION: Rabivac is efficacious both in experimental and field conditions. This supports its use in dog mass vaccination campaigns.
Animals* ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Dogs ; Mass Vaccination ; Morocco* ; Rabies Vaccines ; Rabies virus ; Rabies* ; Vaccination

Objective: To assess the safety and immunogenicity of freeze-dried rabies vaccine (Vero-cells) for human use on different immunization procedures in healthy people aged 9-65 years. Methods: A randomized, blind, positive-controlled clinical study was conducted in March 2015. The eligible residents aged 9-65 were recruited in Dengfeng city and Biyang County, Henan Province. A total of 1 956 subjects were enrolled. The subjects were randomly (1∶1∶1) assigned to 5-dose control group, 4-dose trial group and 5-dose trial group, with 652 subjects in each group. The subjects of 5-dose control group were immunized with control vaccine on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28. The subjects of 4-dose trial group were immunized with trial vaccine on days 0, 7 and 21 (2-1-1 phases) and the subjects of 5-dose trial group were immunized with trial vaccine on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28. A combination of regular follow-up and active reporting was used to observe local and systemic adverse reactions till 30 days after the first and full immunization, and the incidence rate of adverse reactions in three groups was analyzed and compared. The venous blood was collected before the first immunization, 7 days after the first immunization, 14 days after the first immunization and 14 days after the full immunization. The neutralizing antibody of rabies virus was detected by rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT), and the seropositive conversion rate and geometric mean concentration (GMC) of antibody were calculated. Results: The adverse reaction rates in 5-dose control group, 4-dose trial group and 5-dose trial group were 41.87% (273/652), 35.43% (231/652) and 34.97% (228/652), respectively. The adverse reaction rates of 4-dose trial group and 5-dose trial group were lower than those of the 5-dose control group (P<0.05). The local reactions were mainly pain, itching, swelling and redness in injection site, while the systemic reactions were mainly fever, fatigue, headache and muscle pain. The severity of adverse reactions was mainly mild (level 1), accounting for 85.33% (518/607), 89.02% (373/419) and 88.96% (427/480) of the total number of adverse reactions in each group. At 14 days after the first immunization and 14 days after the full immunization, the antibody positive conversion rates of three groups were all 100%. At 7 days, 14 days after the first immunization and 14 days after the full immunization, the GMCs of three groups were 0.60, 0.72, 0.59 IU/ml, 20.42, 23.99, 24.38 IU/ml and 22.95, 23.52, 24.72 IU/ml, respectively, with no significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: The freeze-dried rabies vaccine (Vero-cells) for human use has good safety and immunogenicity when inoculated according to 5-dose and 4-dose immunization procedures.
Humans ; Rabies Vaccines ; Antibodies, Viral ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Rabies virus ; Vaccination ; Rabies/prevention & control*

Genes, Viral ; Rabies virus ; classification ; genetics ; Serotyping

PURPOSE: New alternative bait rabies vaccines applicable to pet dogs and wild animals are needed to eradicate rabies in Korea. In this study, recombinant rabies virus, ERAG3G strain was constructed using reverse genetic system and the safety, efficacy and immunogenicity of the ERAG3G strain was evaluated in mice and dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the full-length genome mutated amino acid at position 333 of glycoprotein of rabies virus (RABV) and helper plasmids, the ERAG3G strain was rescued in BHK/T7-9 cells successfully. Mice were inoculated with the ERAG3G strain for safety and efficacy. Safety and immunogenicity of the dog inoculated with the ERAG3G strain (1 mL, 10(8.0) FAID50/mL) via intramuscular route was evaluated for 28 days after inoculation. RESULTS: The ERAG3G strain rescued by reverse genetic system was propagated well in the mouse neuroblastoma cells revealing titer of 10(8.5) FAID50/mL and was not pathogenic to 4- or 6-week-old mice that received by intramuscular or intracranical route. Immunization with the ERAG3G strain conferred complete protection from lethal RABV in mice. Dogs inoculated with the vaccine candidate via intramuscular route showed high neutralizing antibody titer ranging from 2.62 to 23.9 IU/mL at 28 days postinoculation. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the ERAG3G strain plays an important role in inducing protective efficacy in mice and causes to arise anti-rabies neutralizing antibody in dogs.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Dogs ; Genome ; Glycoproteins ; Immunization* ; Korea ; Mice* ; Neuroblastoma ; Plasmids ; Rabies Vaccines ; Rabies virus* ; Rabies*

PURPOSE: The development of a genetically modified live rabies vaccine applicable to wild raccoon dogs is necessary for the eradication of rabies in Korea. Thus, we constructed a recombinant rabies virus (RABV) called the ERAGS strain, using a reverse genetic system and evaluated its safety and efficacy in mice and its safety and immunogenicity in raccoon dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ERAGS, which has Asn194Ser and Arg333Glu substitutions in the glycoprotein, was constructed using site-directed mutagenesis. Mice were inoculated with the ERAGS strain (either 10(5.0) or 10(7.0) FAID(50)/mL) via intramuscular (IM) or intracranial injections and then challenged with a virulent RABV. Raccoon dogs were administered the ERAGS strain (10(8.0) FAID(50)/mL) either orally or via the IM route and the immunogenicity of the strain was evaluated using fluorescent antibody virus neutralization tests. RESULTS: The ERAGS strain inoculated into murine neuroblastoma cells reached 10(7.8) FAID(50)/mL at 96-hour post-inoculation. The virus was not pathogenic and induced complete protection from virulent RABV in immunized 4- and 6-week-old mice. Korean raccoon dogs immunized with the ERAGS strain via IM or oral route were also safe from the virus and developed high titer levels (26.4-32.8 IU/mL) of virus-neutralizing antibody (VNA) at 4 weeks post-inoculation. CONCLUSION: The ERAGS RABV strain was effectively protective against rabies in mice and produced a high VNA titer in raccoon dogs.
Animals ; Glycoproteins ; Korea ; Mice* ; Mouth ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Neuroblastoma ; Neutralization Tests ; Rabies Vaccines ; Rabies virus* ; Rabies* ; Raccoon Dogs* ; Raccoons* ; Vaccines

PURPOSE: Immunization against rabies in humans induces protective neutralizing antibodies; however, the induction of type 1 or type 2 cytokine mediated cellular immune responses following rabies vaccination is not understood. Hence, the present study investigated cellular cytokine responses in vaccinated individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study groups included healthy rabies antigen naive controls (n=10), individuals who received intradermal primary (n=10) or booster pre-exposure vaccination (n=20) and subjects who received postexposure rabies vaccination either by intradermal (n=18) or intramuscular (n=20) routes. The antigen specific cellular responses were analyzed by stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with a rabies vaccine antigen in the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay. These responses were compared to the rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) titers that were measured by rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. RESULTS: We observed that cellular and humoral immune responses to primary intradermal rabies vaccination could be greatly enhanced by a booster vaccine; and both type 1 and type 2 cytokine responses were significantly elevated. The magnitude of type 1 and type 2 cytokine responses did not differ significantly among the intramuscular and intradermal routes of postexposure vaccination. The number of cells producing IFN-gamma and IL-4 correlated significantly with the levels of RVNA. CONCLUSION: Both type 1 and type 2 cellular cytokine responses are strongly induced after rabies vaccination and directly correlate with levels of RVNA titers. The neutralizing antibody as well as the type 1 and type 2 cytokine responses may be important for vaccine induced protective responses against rabies.
Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular* ; Immunity, Humoral ; Immunization ; Interferon-gamma ; Interleukin-4 ; Rabies Vaccines ; Rabies virus ; Rabies* ; Vaccination*

The number of human rabies cases acquired from dog bites constitutes a high proportion of the total rabies cases in China, although the number of human rabies cases has gradually decreased in recent years. The pivotal role of dogs in the spread of rabies indicates that controlling and preventing canine rabies could be a key step in eradicating human rabies in China. The primary aims of this review are to discuss the properties and pathogenesis of the rabies virus, the clinical signs and diagnosis of canine rabies, threshold host density and vaccination of dogs, and the prevention and control of canine rabies in China.
Animals ; Dog Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Dogs ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Rabies virus ; genetics