Vaccination of mice and swine with a pseudorabies virus mutant lacking thymidine kinase activity.

A thymidine kinase deficient mutant of the Indiana-Funkhauser strain of pseudorabies virus was tested for its ability to stimulate protective immunity in mice and young pigs. Mice vaccinated intraperitoneally were protected from morbidity and mortality when challenged with 50 LD50 of virulent pseudorabies virus. Eight week old pigs were protected from serious morbidity and mortality when challenged with virulent pseudorabies virus. The thymidine kinase mutant was not shed from the nasal passages of pigs vaccinated intramuscularly, but did not prevent shedding of challenge virus.