Development and Evaluation of a Combined Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) Live Vaccine.

Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (Mmm) is the causative agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease of cattle caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). LSD and CBPP are both transboundary diseases spreading in the same areas of Africa and Asia. A combination vaccine to control CBPP and LSD offers significant value to small-scale livestock keepers as a single administration. Access to a bivalent vaccine may improve vaccination rates for both pathogens. In the present study, we evaluated the LSDV/CBPP live combined vaccine by testing the generation of virus neutralizing antibodies, immunogenicity, and safety on target species. In-vitro assessment of the Mycoplasma effect on LSDV growth in cell culture was evaluated by infectious virus titration and qPCR during 3 serial passages, whereas in-vivo interference was assessed through the antibody response to vaccination. This combined Mmm/LSDV vaccine could be used to protect cattle against both diseases with a single vaccination in the endemic countries. There were no adverse reactions detected in this study and inoculated cattle produced high levels of specific antibodies starting from day 7 post-vaccination, suggesting that this combination vaccine is both safe and effective.

Development and Evaluation of an Inactivated Lumpy Skin Disease Vaccine for Cattle.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) of cattle is caused by a virus within Capripoxvirus genus. It leads to huge economic losses in addition to trade and animal movement limitation. Vaccination is the only economically feasible way to control this vector-borne disease. Only live attenuated vaccines have been used so far and no inactivated vaccine has been developed nor tested in cattle. In this study, we developed an inactivated oily adjuvanted vaccine based on Neethling strain and tested it on cattle. Selected criteria of appreciation were safety, antibody response by Virus Neutralization and protection through challenge. A field trial was also performed in Bulgaria. The vaccine was safe and did not cause any adverse reaction, high level of specific antibodies was obtained starting from day 7 post-vaccination and protection against virulent challenge strain that caused typical disease in control animals was total. Induced protection was similar to that obtained with live vaccine, without any adverse effect. In addition, the field study confirmed safety and efficacy of the vaccine, which did not show any adverse reaction and induced a high level of antibodies for up to one year. General prophylaxis based on inactivated vaccine could be of great benefit in endemic countries or at risk regions.

Synthesis and studies of modified oligonucleotides-directed triple helix formation at the purine-pyrimidine interrupted site.

Triple helix formation is still restricted to oligopurine-oligopyrimidine double stranded DNA target. Herein we focus on our progress achieved in nucleobase and oligonucleotide modifications area to address the chemical challenge to circumvent the recognition of a purine-pyrimidine base pair interruption in an oligopyrimidine-oligopurine DNA sequence.