A bivalent vaccine against goat pox and Peste des Petits ruminants induces protective immune response in goats.

Safety and immunogenicity of an experimental combined vaccine comprising attenuated strains of Peste des Petits ruminants virus (PPRV) and goat poxvirus (GTPV) was evaluated in goats. Goats immunized subcutaneously with 1 ml of vaccine consisting of 10(3) TCID(50) of each of PPRV and GTPV were monitored for clinical and serological responses for a period of 4 weeks postimmunization (pi) and postchallenge (pc). Specific antibodies directed to both GTPV and PPRV could be demonstrated by indirect ELISA and competitive ELISA, respectively following immunization. All the immunized animals resisted challenge with virulent strains of either GTPV or PPRV on day 28 pi, while control animals developed characteristic signs of disease. Specific antigen could be detected in the unvaccinated control animals after challenge but not from any of the immunized goats. Bivalent vaccine was found to be safe and induced protective immune response in goats as evident from sero conversion as well as challenge studies, indicating that component vaccines did not interfere with the immunogenicity of each other.