Intranasal parainfluenza virus-vectored vaccine expressing SARS-CoV-2 spike protein of Delta or Omicron B.1.1.529 induces mucosal and systemic immunity and protects hamsters against homologous and heterologous challenge.

The continuous emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants requires that COVID vaccines be updated to match circulating strains. We generated B/HPIV3-vectored vaccines expressing 6P-stabilized S protein of the ancestral, B.1.

Intranasal respiratory syncytial virus vaccine attenuated by codon-pair deoptimization of seven open reading frames is genetically stable and elicits mucosal and systemic immunity and protection against challenge virus replication in hamsters.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important viral agent of severe pediatric respiratory illness worldwide, but there is no approved pediatric vaccine. Here, we describe the development of the live-attenuated RSV vaccine candidate Min AL as well as engineered derivatives. Min AL was attenuated by codon-pair deoptimization (CPD) of seven of the 11 RSV open reading frames (ORFs) (NS1, NS2, N, P, M, SH and L; 2,073 silent nucleotide substitutions in total).

Mucosal prime-boost immunization with live murine pneumonia virus-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is protective in macaques.

Immunization via the respiratory route is predicted to increase the effectiveness of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Here, we evaluate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of one or two doses of a live-attenuated murine pneumonia virus vector expressing SARS-CoV-2 prefusion-stabilized spike protein (MPV/S-2P), delivered intranasally/intratracheally to male rhesus macaques. A single dose of MPV/S-2P is highly immunogenic, and a second dose increases the magnitude and breadth of the mucosal and systemic anti-S antibody responses and increases levels of dimeric anti-S IgA in the airways.

Intranasal murine pneumonia virus-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine induces mucosal and serum antibodies in macaques.

Next-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are needed that induce systemic and mucosal immunity. Murine pneumonia virus (MPV), a murine homolog of respiratory syncytial virus, is attenuated by host-range restriction in nonhuman primates and has a tropism for the respiratory tract. We generated MPV vectors expressing the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (MPV/S) or its prefusion-stabilized form (MPV/S-2P).

Baseline mapping of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virology, epidemiology and vaccine research and development.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a newly emergent tick-borne bunyavirus first discovered in 2009 in China. SFTSV is a growing public health problem that may become more prominent owing to multiple competent tick-vectors and the expansion of human populations in areas where the vectors are found. Although tick-vectors of SFTSV are found in a wide geographic area, SFTS cases have only been reported from China, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.

Japanese encephalitis vaccine-specific envelope protein E138K mutation does not attenuate virulence of West Nile virus.

West Nile (WNV) and Japanese encephalitis viruses (JEV) are closely related, mosquito-borne neurotropic flaviviruses. Although there are no licensed human vaccines for WNV, JEV has multiple human vaccines, including the live, attenuated vaccine SA14-14-2. Investigations into determinants of attenuation of JE SA14-14-2 demonstrated that envelope (E) protein mutation E138K was crucial to the attenuation of mouse virulence.

Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of West Nile virus NS5 methyltransferase mutants.

Although West Nile virus (WNV) causes annual cases of neurological disease and deaths in humans, a vaccine has not been licensed for human use. Several WNV genes have been targeted for mutagenesis in attempts to generate live attenuated vaccine candidates, including the non-structural protein NS5. Specifically, mutation of WNV NS5-K61A or NS5-E218A in the catalytic tetrad of the methyltransferase decreases enzyme activity of the NS5 protein and correspondingly attenuates the virus in mice.

Twenty Years of Progress Toward West Nile Virus Vaccine Development.

Although West Nile virus (WNV) has been a prominent mosquito-transmitted infection in North America for twenty years, no human vaccine has been licensed. With a cumulative number of 24,714 neurological disease cases and 2314 deaths in the U.S.

Attenuation of Zika Virus by Passage in Human HeLa Cells.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus. Previous studies have shown that mosquito-transmitted flaviviruses, including yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses, could be attenuated by serial passaging in human HeLa cells. Therefore, it was hypothesized that wild-type ZIKV would also be attenuated after HeLa cell passaging.

Virulence determinants of West Nile virus: how can these be used for vaccine design?

West Nile virus (WNV), a neurotropic mosquito-borne flavivirus, has become endemic in the USA and parts of Europe since 1999. There is no licensed WNV vaccine for humans. Considering the robust immunity from immunization with live, attenuated vaccines, a live WNV vaccine is an ideal platform for disease control.