Recombinant chimeric virus with wild-type dengue 4 virus premembrane and envelope and virulent yellow fever virus Asibi backbone sequences is dramatically attenuated in nonhuman primates.

Abstract

Candidate vaccine ChimeriVax viruses are attenuated, efficacious, safe, and highly unlikely to be transmitted by arthropod vectors. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised about the use of these vaccines because of the potential for recombination between vaccine and wild-type (WT) strains. To evaluate the vertebrate pathogenicity of such a worst-case recombinant, ChimeriVax-dengue (DEN) 4 virus was chimerized with the WT Asibi yellow fever virus. In this worst-case scenario, chimeric viruses remained fully attenuated in nonhuman primates. We therefore conclude that, even in the highly unlikely event of "virulent" backbone reversion, the safety of ChimeriVax-DEN vaccines would not be compromised.

• Authors: Charles E McGee, Mark G Lewis, Marisa St Claire, Wendeline Wagner, Jean Lang, Bruno Guy, Konstantin Tsetsarkin, Stephen Higgs, Thierry Decelle
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 197 Issue 5 Pg. 693-7 (Mar 01 2008) ISSN: 0022-1899 [Print] United States
• PMID: 18266603 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• ChimeriVax
• ChimeriVax-DEN4 vaccine
• Vaccines, Attenuated
• West Nile Virus Vaccines
• Yellow Fever Vaccine

Topics

• Animals
• Chimera (genetics, virology)
• Dengue (transmission, veterinary)
• Dengue Virus (immunology, pathogenicity)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Female
• Macaca fascicularis (virology)
• Male
• Vaccines, Attenuated (adverse effects, genetics)
• West Nile Virus Vaccines (administration & dosage, immunology)
• Yellow Fever (genetics, immunology, veterinary)
• Yellow Fever Vaccine (administration & dosage, genetics)
• Yellow fever virus (pathogenicity)