Intervaccs vaccinstudier på häst

To develop vaccines for the horse, it is necessary to do experimental infections with S. equi directly on the horse. The collaboration with Animal Health Trust gives Intervacc a unique possibility to test various vaccines directly on the target animal, the horse, a work in close collaboration with pathologists, microbiologists, and immunologists with deep knowledge in about this infection. There are very few facilities in Europe with this level of safety containment.

So far, three prototype vaccines against strangles have been made containing, three, five or seven recombinant proteins. These are called Trivacc, Pentavacc and Septavacc. The proteins in the vaccines are proteins localised on the surface of S. equi with proposed function to mediate bacterial adherence to mucosa and epithelial cells. Also two secreted proteins are included in Septavacc with an ability to hamper the immmune response in the infected animal. The proteins were identified by bioinformatic analysis of the genome sequence of S. equi and comparison with earlier known virulence factors from Streptococcus pyogenes, a human pathogen with similar pathogenesis. The results from vaccinations with Trivacc, Pentavacc and Septavacc have been very encouraging, e.g. vaccinatin with Septavacc has given approx. 85% protection.

Rune Bergman och Jan-Ingmar Flock i England vid Animal Health Trust för tester av vaccinerna direkt på måldjuret häst.