A new freeze-dried living virus vaccine against sheep-pox

A sheep-pox virus strain has been adapted and multiplied in primary lamb kidney cell cultures. The main characteristics of the strain have been verified in vitro after clones were isolated, and the results confirmed its identity. The safety and the potency of the strain have been investigated in sheep.

The inoculation of the strain to sheep was followed by a post-vaccinal reaction materialised by a nodule at the site of inoculation and an increase of temperature by about 1°C. No reactions adversely affecting pregnancy have been noted. Immunisation was demonstrated by an increase in the level of neutralising serous antibodies and protection against the pathogenic virus. The immunity tended to decrease during the second year after primovaccination and a yearly booster vaccination appeared to be necessary. Primovaccination of lambs over 2 months of age produced a better immunity, especially when the lambs were born from vaccinated ewes.

This strain forms the active principle of a freeze-dried vaccine containing no adjuvant of the immunity.     

Immunisation against Panleucopenia: Early development of immunity

The time necessary to obtain the immunity of cats against Panleucopenia has been studied by means of a modified live vaccine.

This vaccine makes it possible to obtain a very early post-vaccinal immunity: the full immunity is reached 72 hr after the inoculation of the vaccine by the subcutaneous route.

Furthermore, we have demonstrated that a sensitive kitten can be admitted in a contaminated environment immediately after vaccination without showing any clinical evidence of the disease.     

Isolation and biological properties of virulent subpopulations from lentogenic Newcastle disease virus strains

From each of two lentogenic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains of the type LaSota and Hitchner B1 a virulent subpopulation could be obtained. The two subpopulations were—in comparison to the two parent viruses—more resistant to the lipid solvent chloroform and more stable against thermal degradation. Also, the glycoproteins haemagglutinin and F (fusion) were more stable against thermal inactivation. Electron microscopic observations revealed in terms of size and morphology all of the characteristics of NDV. Both subpopulations possessed, however, the same elution kinetics as their respective parent strains. The intracerebral and intravenous pathogenicity indices as well as the mean death times of the two subpopulations allow to classify these viruses as virulent Newcastle disease viruses.