Potential for immunization against herpesvirus infections with plasma membrane vesicles.

Virus-free, membrane antigen (MA)-positive plasma membrane vesicles produced from herpesvirus saimiri-infected owl monkey cells were used as immunogens in cotton-top marmosets. Neutralizing antibodies as well as antibodies to MA and HVS-induced LA were induced following immunization of marmosets with these vesicles. Preliminary findings demonstrated that immunized marmosets were significantly less susceptible to tumour induction by HVS than control animals.