Pathogenicity testing of influenza candidate vaccine viruses in the ferret model.

Pathogenicity testing of influenza candidate vaccine viruses in the ferret model. Virology. 2017 Aug 25;511:135-141 Authors: Belser JA, Johnson A, Pulit-Penaloza JA, Pappas C, Pearce MB, Tzeng WP, Hossain MJ, Ridenour C, Wang L, Chen LM, Wentworth DE, Katz JM, Maines TR, Tumpey TM Abstract The development of influenza candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) for pre-pandemic vaccine production represents a critical step in pandemic preparedness. The multiple subtypes and clades of avian or swine origin influenza viruses circulating world-wide at any one time necessitates the continuous generation of CVVs to provide an advanced starting point should a novel zoonotic virus cross the species barrier and cause a pandemic. Furthermore, the evolution and diversity of novel influenza viruses that cause zoonotic infections requires ongoing monitoring and surveillance, and, when a lack of antigenic match between circulating viruses and available CVVs is identified, the production of new CVVs. Pandemic guidelines developed by the WHO Global Influenza Program govern the design and preparation of reverse genetics-derived CVVs, which must undergo numerous safety and quality tests prior to human use. Confirmation of reassortant CVV attenuation of virulence in ferrets relative to wild-type virus represents one of these critical steps, yet there is a paucity of information available regarding the relative degree of attenuation achieved by WHO-recommended CV...
Source: Virology - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Virology Source Type: research