Rinderpest virus (RPV) ISCOM vaccine induces protection in cattle against virulent RPV challenge.

Rinderpest virus (RPV), a member of genus Morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae, causes an acute and often fatal disease in cattle and other large ruminants. A subunit rinderpest vaccine consisting of an immune-stimulating complex (ISCOM) incorporating the RPV haemaggulutinin (H) protein, was examined for its ability to induce protective immunity in cattle, the natural host of RPV. All of four cattle vaccinated with the ISCOM vaccine survived challenge with virulent virus. Three were solidly protected, showing no clinical signs of infection, while the fourth animal developed only mild and transient symptoms. Virus neutralizing antibodies were produced at a significant level in all vaccinated cattle. These results indicate that this ISCOM vaccine is effective in producing protective immunity in cattle and should be a suitable means of delivering glycoprotein antigens from other morbilliviruses.