Humoral immune response to different routes of myxomatosis vaccine application

Abstract

The aim of our study was to monitor the dynamics of the serological response to different application routes of live attenuated myxomatosis vaccine. The study included 42 Californian breed rabbits, aged 3 mo, of both sexes. They were separated into 7 groups: 6 experimental and 1 control. All experimental groups were vaccinated on day 0 with a single dose of myxomatosis vaccine (min 10<sup>3.3</sup> tissue culture infective dose 50 [TCID<sub>50</sub>], max 10<sup>5.8</sup> TCID<sub>50</sub>). Three of the groups were injected with monovalent attenuated myxomatosis vaccine using different types of application: intradermal (i.d.), intramuscular (i.m.) and subcutaneous (s.c.). The other 3 groups were injected with bivalent attenuated vaccine against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease; again the routes of administration were i.d., i.m. and s.c.. There were no clinical signs or serious side effects after vaccination. The serological response was evaluated on days 7, 15 and 30 with a monoclonal antibody based-competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). More rapid and potent humoral response was detected in groups with i.d. inoculation in comparison to i.m. and s.c. routes. Vaccination with monovalent vaccine against myxomatosis induced higher antibody titre in comparison to bivalent vaccine. Our study showed that the vaccine application route and the type of vaccine used influence the speed and intensity of antibody response.

Evaluation of Commercial Myxomatosis Vaccines against Recombinant Myxoma Virus (ha-MYXV) in Iberian Hare and Wild Rabbit

“…This can also mean that the subcutaneous route is not the ideal primary site of Myxoma virus multiplication or antigen presentation. Several studies have shown the lower effectiveness of the subcutaneous route in inducing immunity compared with the intradermal route [ 27 , 28 ]. The intradermal route allows a longer contact between the antigen and the antigen-presenting cells with a high number of dendritic cells in the derma compared with the subcutaneous tissue [ 29 ].…”

“…When Myxoma virus is inoculated intradermically, it can enter directly by lymphatic vessels for transport to antigen-presenting cells in the lymph nodes [ 30 ]. Considering the specificity of MYXV to epithelial cells, the delivery to the epidermis or dermis may result in superior and quick immune responses when compared to muscle and subcutaneous tissues [ 28 ]. This explanation can be also applied to the inoculation of virus during the challenge.…”

Study of the Formation and Maintenance of Immunological Memory Cells in Response to Immunization for Myxomatosis and Viral Hemorrhagic Disease in Rabbits

“…Some clarity was introduced by the studies of Manev et al (2018), in which different groups of rabbits selected according to the principle of similar pairs were simultaneously vaccinated with a monovalent myxomatous vaccine and an associated vaccine against myxomatosis and hemorrhagic disease. When using a monovalent vaccine, antibody titers significantly exceeded the corresponding number of immunocompetent cells against myxomatosis after immunization with the associated vaccine (Bogoyavlenskiy et al 2012).…”

Viral Disease in Lagomorphs: A Molecular Perspective

“…Protection with homologous vaccines offers longer lasting immunity than with the heterologous vaccines. Myxoma virus causes immunosuppression in rabbits [18] and one of the main drawbacks to the use of homologous vaccines may be associated with such immunosuppression [18,19] that could exacerbate underlying subclinical infections.…”

“…Serological tests exist for the detection of anti-myxoma virus antibodies [19,66,67]. This analysis is of particular importance in farmed rabbits where vaccination is used.…”