Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Department of

 

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

First Advisor

Hiep L. X. Vu

Second Advisor

John Dustin Loy

Third Advisor

Sarah Sillman

Date of this Version

4-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Major: Veterinary Sciences

Under the supervision of Professor Hiep L. X. Vu

Lincoln, Nebraska, April 2022

Comments

Copyright © 2022, Sushmita Kumari. Used by permission

Abstract

Influenza A virus of the swine (IAV-S) is an economically important swine pathogen that has the potential to spread to humans, thus posing an ongoing public health concern due to its zoonotic potential. Hemagglutinin (HA), the most abundant viral envelope protein, is known to be the key protective antigen. Anti-HA antibodies alone, have been shown to prevent IAV infection. In this study we evaluated the feasibility of a recombinant tri segmented Pichinde virus (PICV) as a viral vector to deliver IAV-S hemagglutinin antigen in pigs. Four groups of weaned pigs (T01-04) were immunized twice with PBS, rPICV-GFP as a vector control, rPICV-H3 and H3-protein, respectively, at day 0 and 21 followed by an intra-tracheal challenge with a wild-type H3N2 IAV-S strain on day 42. T03 and T04 groups seroconverted and exhibited high titers of plasma neutralizing antibodies after vaccination. Post challenge infection, undetectable or minimal levels of influenza virus shedding, and lung lesions were observed in T03 and T04 groups whereas high levels of shedding and lung lesions were observed in T01 and T02 groups. Overall, both rPICV-H3 and H3-protein were able to confer solid protection in pigs and no significant difference in terms of protection was observed between these two vaccine types. These results provide the basis for the continuous development of the rPICV to use as a potential viral vector vaccine in pigs.

Advisor: Hiep L. X. Vu

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