Herpesvirus Vaccines

Abstract

The development of vaccines against the herpesviruses has major public health importance because of the wide spectrum of associated clinical disease with this virus in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised populations. Because these viruses establish latent infections capable of subsequent reactivation, both immunotherapeutic and prophylactic vaccine strategies are needed. A range of vaccine formulations has been devised, largely as a result of the rapid growth in knowledge in molecular microbiology and genetic engineering, including live and inactivated whole virus vaccines, and subunit vaccines consisting of recombinant viral glycoproteins in various adjuvants. The live attenuated virus Oka strain vaccine is now licensed for prophylaxis against varicella (VZV) in some countries. Recent studies with herpes simplex viruses (HSV) have demonstrated immunogenicity with glycoprotein vaccines; however, these studies have also highlighted their failure to reduce seroconversion to HSV-2 in high-risk populations. Nevertheless, his work has helped develop comprehensive methodologies for the clinical amd immunological assessment of newer vaccine formulations which have proved successful in animal models. The live attenuated Towne strain vaccine has been shown to prevent severe human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in transplant recipients. More recently, subunit antigens and virus vector vaccines against CMV and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) have been devised. Novel attempts to present viral antigens now include the development of plasmid expression vectors for viral nucleic acids and genes as well as engineered live vectors for viral antigens. These new technologies may allow future vaccines to be devised, not only against the 5 well characterised herpes viruses, but also against the recently recognised herpes viruses 6, 7 and 8 whose full clinical spectrum is still unknown.

Salmonella typhimurium harboring plasmid expressing interleukin-12 induced attenuation of infection and protective immune responses

“…IL-12-induced attenuation in Salmonella typhimurium higher doses could be overcome by lowering the dose of wild bacteria for immunization or by using plasmids expressing high concentrations of protein. Previous investigators suggested that an effective vaccine could be designed by plasmid DNA vaccine, prime-boost strategies and genetic alteration (Ganges et al, 2005;Jennings et al, 1998;Leroux-Roels and Leroux-Roels, 2009;Pena et al, 2008). Although rapid developments for new pathogens were limited by current vaccine technology, our results suggested that the vaccine technology using plasmid expressing IL-12 would be a rapid, easy method for new vaccine.…”

New Strategies for Prevention and Therapy of Cytomegalovirus Infection and Disease in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients

“…Work on the development of such a subunit vaccine has focused on the viral envelope glycoprotein, designated gB (356). It seems likely that as more is learned about the immune system mechanisms involved in the control of the virus, it will become possible to induce immunologic protection with inactivated, recombinant DNA-produced vaccines (91,214). Although complete protection against CMV may not be achieved by vaccination, partial immunity may obviate the development of serious manifestations of CMV infection and disease.…”

Herpes simplex virus infection in pregnancy and in neonate: status of art of epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy and prevention

“…A range of vaccine formulations has been devised, largely as a result of the rapid growth in knowledge in molecular microbiology and genetic engineering, including live and inactivated whole virus vaccines and subunit vaccines consisting of recombinant viral glycoproteins in various adjuvants [ 72 ].…”