Use of apathogenic vaccinia virus MVA expressing EHV-1 gC as basis of a combined recombinant MVA/DNA vaccination scheme.

The nonreplicating chicken adapted vaccinia virus strain MVA was used in a combined vaccine scheme. Using the equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) encoded complement-receptor glycoprotein C as antigen, only poor antibody response was induced by exclusive vaccination with DNA plasmids. The administration of recombinant MVA followed by plasmid immunization elicited both humoral and cellular immune responses in hamster comparable to EHV-1 full virus vaccines. Our results indicate that recombinant constructs based on MVA represent a safe and efficient way to overcome problems of poor immunogenicity of certain antigens upon intramuscular DNA vaccination, thus replacing sophisticated adjuvants or application methods, which are not readily applicable in routine practice.