[Combined use of killed vaccines and immunomodulator ridostin for urgent prevention of epidemic stomatitis, Aujeszky disease and carnivore plague in experiment]

Results of experimental studies of mice and pigs infected with foot-and-mouth disease virus, minks infected with Aujeszky's disease virus, and dogs infected with canine distemper virus are described. In animals with foot-and-mouth disease and Aujeszky's disease, combined treatment with killed vaccine and immunomodulator Ridostin by the scheme of urgent prophylaxis (3 days before infection) caused 75% (foot-and-mouth disease) and 100% (Aujeszky's disease) prevention of animal death and development of generalized infection. The use of Ridostin by the scheme of urgent prophylaxis in a canine distemper infection focus arrested clinical symptoms of the disease in 50% of animals received immunomodulator. Clinical symptoms of canine distemper in the other dogs treated with immunomodulator were manifested in a mild form, and their appearance was delayed to 23-25 days after contact with infected animal.

A peptide construct containing B-cell and T-cell epitopes from the foot-and-mouth disease viral VP1 protein induces efficient antiviral protection

A new peptide construct Palm135-158-GGA-170-188(Acm) has been synthesized and investigated in a number of in vitro and in vivo test systems. The construct contains a virus specific T-helper epitope within the 170-188 sequence of VP1, in addition to the main antigenic 135-158 region of the foot-and-mouth disease viral VP1 protein (strain A22). The construct has higher protective, antigenic, immunogenic and T-cell proliferative activity then the previously described shorter peptide Palm(2)135-159. The 170-188 part of the construct serves as a virus specific T-epitope, responsible for the enhanced immunogenic and protective activity of the construct.

Synthetic vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease based on a palmitoyl derivative of the VP1 protein 135-159 fragment of the A22 virus strain

The peptide Palm2 135-159, a dipalmitoyl derivative of the 135-159 fragment of VP1 protein of the foot-and-mouth disease virus strain A22 was synthesized. In the experiments on mice, guinea pigs and sheep Palm2 135-159 possesses greater immunogenic and protective activity than the nonacylated 135-159 peptide. The synthetic vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease for use in sheep was developed on the basis of the lipopeptide. Synthetic polymethylsiloxane oil was found to be a suitable adjuvant for this vaccine. The dependencies of protective and immunogenic effects from the dose of peptide were studied. The vaccine was found to be stable to storage for 1 year at 18 degrees C. It was shown that the synthetic vaccine provides 1 year protection of sheep against foot-and-mouth disease after a single administration. The vaccine is allowed for veterinary use in Russia.

[Natural killers and cytotoxic lymphocytes in classical hog cholera]

The formation of immune mechanisms directed at elimination of infected cells and including the activity of natural killers and cytotoxic lymphocytes was assessed in pigs infected with hog cholera virus. In acute disease natural killer activity in the blood is reduced, while in vaccinal process it is increased. Vaccination in parallel with cyclophosphamide immunodepression lead to inhibition of natural killer activity. Leukocytes and lymphocytes of immunized pigs can cause cytolysis of autologous targets infected with hog cholera virus.