Molecular epidemiology of swinepox viruses circulating in India.

Swinepox is a sporadic virus disease of domestic and wild pigs that mainly occurs during the rainy season. Though the disease is known for a century, research on swinepox especially genetic characterization is scanty. Self-limiting nature of the disease, the non-availability of specific diagnostics as well as the resemblance of clinical signs with other pathogens are some of the issues in the slow progress in swinepox-related research.

Immunological evaluation of mannosylated chitosan nanoparticles based foot and mouth disease virus DNA vaccine, pVAC FMDV VP1-OmpA in guinea pigs.

A DNA vaccine for foot and mouth disease (FMD) based on mannosylated chitosan nanoparticles was evaluated in guinea pigs. The DNA construct was comprised of FMD virus full length-VP1 gene and outer membrane protein A (Omp A) gene of Salmonella typhimurium as a Toll-like receptor (TLR)-ligand in pVAC vector. Groups of guinea pigs immunized either intramuscularly or intra-nasally were evaluated for induction of virus neutralizing antibodies, Th1(IgG2) and Th2 (IgG1) responses, lymphocyte proliferation, reactive nitrogen intermediate production, secretory IgA for naso-mucosal immune response and protection upon homotypic type O virulent FMD virus challenge.