Recombinant poxvirus vaccines

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Abstract
Summary Genes which code for foreign proteins can be inserted into the poxvirus genome. Such recombinants express the foreign genes properly and retain their infectivity. Recombinants which express immunogenic antigens have generally been shown to induce protective immunity in experimental and some natural hosts. Most work has been done with vaccinia recombinants in the hope that experience gained with smallpox vaccine can be utilized. Although valuable experimental data are now available, development of licensed vaccines has been slow. A vaccinia recombinant rabies vaccine for the oral vaccination of wildlife has received large scale trials in Europe, and a vaccinia recombinant rinderpest vaccine is licensed for trial in Africa and Asia. Various vaccinia recombinant HIV vaccines are being developed. There are fears about the safety of vaccinia virus as a vector, only partly allayed by studies on attenuation in animals. Other vectors, such as raccoonpox and capripox viruses, are being tested as alternatives. Particularly interesting is the possibility that canarypox recombinants may be used as non-replicating expression vectors in mammals, and preliminary trials in humans are very promising.

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