Publications by authors named "M O'Kennedy"

Brucellosis is an important bacterial disease of livestock and the most common zoonotic disease. The current vaccines are effective but unsafe, as they result in animal abortions and are pathogenic to humans. Virus-like particles are being investigated as molecular scaffolds for foreign antigen presentation to the immune system.

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Article Synopsis
  • A revolutionary multivalent vaccine for African horse sickness virus (AHSV) has been developed, designed to protect against all nine serotypes using plant-produced virus-like particles (VLPs) and viral protein 2 (VP2).
  • In trials with interferon α/β receptor knock-out mice, the nonavalent vaccine outperformed the current commercial vaccine, demonstrating high neutralizing antibody levels and a strong immune response.
  • This research marks the first significant evidence of a nonavalent VP2-based vaccine's effectiveness, showcasing its potential safety and efficacy for future use in combating AHSV outbreaks.
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In the quest for heightened protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants, we engineered a prototype vaccine utilizing the plant expression system of Nicotiana benthamiana, to produce a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine presenting the S-protein from the Beta (B.1.351) variant of concern (VOC).

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Background: High-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) has become a conservation threat to wild birds. Therefore, suitable vaccine technology and practical application methods require investigation.

Methods: Twenty-four African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) were vaccinated with either a conventional inactivated clade 2.

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Infectious bronchitis (IB) Gammacoronavirus causes a highly contagious respiratory disease in chickens that is listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Its high mutation ability has resulted in numerous variants against which the commercially available live or recombinant vaccines singly offer limited protection. Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana (tobacco) plants was used here to produce a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine expressing a modified full-length IBV spike (S) protein of a QX-like IB variant.

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