Efficacy testing of Recombinant Probiotics Expressing Subunit Vaccine against Classical Swine Fever Virus

CC Hsieh*, SJ Chiu, RS Chen

Animal Health Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan

Abstract

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), a member of the genus Pestivirus of the family Flaviviridae, is a small, enveloped, single- stranded RNA virus. Under the natural conditions, pigs are the only susceptible species, and the virus can cause acute, subacute, or chronic disease. Enormous economic losses to pig industries have been caused by CSFV. Therefore, the development of an efficient vaccine against CSFV is of practical significance. Probiotics possess many properties that make them attractive candidates as antigens carriers when applied in conjunction with compounds with pharmaceutical interest, to the mucosae of host animals; in particular, this includes immunomodulators and vaccines. Probiotic organisms are well known for having beneficial effects on the health of humans and animals. In particular, lactobacilli can survive and colonize the intestinal tract and, furthermore, induce nonspecific immune adjuvant effects. The potential of live recombinant probiotics to deliver heterologous antigens to the immune system has been investigated, suggesting the feasibility of using probiotics as a low risk delivery system for oral vaccines. The purpose of the study is to develop a recombinant probiotics carrying CSFV antigens to induce protective immune responses to CSFV infection. We have developed an effective vaccine delivery system for this disease; further studies are in progress aimed at refining and improving our probiotic delivery system for vaccinating swine against CSFV.

Keywords: Classical swine fever virus, vaccine, probiotics.