Foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the causative agent of a highly contagious and economically devastating disease of cloven-hoofed livestock. Serotype-specific neutralising antibodies are induced by infection and vaccination and protection is associated with elevated neutralising antibody production. Cattle, which have recovered from infection with one of the seven serotypes of FMDV are not immune to the other serotypes but remain protected against the first serotype for a considerable period of time. In contrast to the serum neutralising antibody responses, one of the most significant features of the bovine T cell responses to FMDV is the cross-reactivity among the different serotypes of the virus. In other words, the in vivo or in vitro primed T cells with one serotype of the virus, are capable to recognize and respond to the other serotypes of the virus. However, the protection is serotype specific, stressing that, the neutralising antibodies are an essential component that is necessary for protection. Peptide vaccination represents a safer means of presenting antigen in vivo for the generation of both humoral and cellular immune responses. The use of peptide vaccine can shed light on the understanding the mechanisms by which the protective immunity can be achieved. In an attempt to verify the effect of addition of a defined T cell epitope to a well known B cell epitope of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) stain A10 Holland, two groups of five cattle were immunized with two different peptide vaccine compounds. The first group received VP1 [141-156] coupled to KLH and for the immunisation of the second group; VP4 [20-34] peptide was added as free peptide to KLH-VP1 [141-156]. As controls, another two groups of two cattle were vaccinated with the conventional FMDV vaccine or KLH respectively. All animals except the positive control group (vaccinated with FMDV) were immunized for the second time 28 days after the first vaccination with their respective vaccine and at day 65 all animals were challenged with the live virus. During the experiment, the animals were monitored by different immunological and virological tests. Protective efficacy of the vaccine candidates as well as potential applications of peptide vaccine will be discussed in more detail.

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