Development of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype O virus-like-particles (VLPs) vaccine and evaluation of its potency.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an economically significant viral disease that rampage dairy and other livestock industries in many countries. The disease is being controlled by the use of an inactivated vaccine. However, a recombinant marker vaccine, which avoids the use of live virus, may be an option for the unambiguous differentiation of infected animals from vaccinated animals. A recombinant baculovirus clone containing P1-2A-3C coding sequences of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype O(1) Manisa was generated. The FMDV structural proteins along with the 3C protease were expressed in Sf9 cells and the generation of virus like particles (VLP) was studied. The recombinant protein was formulated as vaccine using an oil adjuvant, ISA 206 and potency of the vaccine was tested in cattle. The vaccine had a potency value (PD(50)) of 5.01 and most of the vaccinated animals exhibited neutralizing antibody titers after two immunizations.