Inactivated Chimeric Vaccines and Related Methods of Use

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an inactivated chimeric virus vaccine and/or immunogenic composition for the treatment or prevention of viral infection. Further, various other embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods of preventing and treating virus infection in such animals with the inactivated vaccine and/or immunogenic composition. Other embodiments comprise methods of preparing a vaccine or immunogenic composition for the treatment or prevention of viral infection in such animals.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . The vaccine of  claim 19 , wherein the inactivated chimeric virus is present in a concentration ranging between 10 2  and 10 8  plaque-forming units (pfu). 
   
   
       8 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . A method of preventing or treating a flavivirus infection in an animal, the method comprising administering to the animal an immunogenically effective amount of a vaccine comprising an inactivated chimeric flavivirus comprising a first flavivirus in which the nucleotide sequences encoding the pre-membrane and envelope proteins are replaced with nucleotide sequences encoding pre-membrane and envelope proteins of a second flavivirus, wherein the first flavivirus is yellow fever virus and the second flavivirus is West Nile virus. 
   
   
       11 - 13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the chimeric flavivirus is administered at a dose ranging between 10 2  and 10 8  plaque-forming units (pfu). 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the chimeric flavivirus is administered at a dose ranging between 10 6  and 10 7  pfu. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inactivated chimeric flavivirus is administered by a subcutaneous, intramuscular, submucosal, mucosal, or intradermal route. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inactivated chimeric flavivirus is orally administered. 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A vaccine comprising an immunogenically effective amount of an inactivated chimeric flavivirus comprising yellow fever virus in which the nucleotide sequence encoding the pre-membrane and envelope proteins are replaced with nucleotide sequences encoding pre-membrane and envelope proteins of West Nile virus and at lest one additional antigen selected from the croup consisting of inactive Eastern encephalomyelitis virus, inactive Western encephalomyelitis virus, inactive Venezuelan encephalomyelitis virus, inactive equine herpes virus type 1, inactive equine herpes virus type 4, inactive equine influenza virus strain KY93/A2, inactive equine influenza virus strain KY02/A2, inactive equine influenza virus strain NM/2193/A2 and a tetanus toxoid fraction. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the vaccine comprising the inactive chimeric flavivirus is administered with at least one antigen selected from the group consisting of inactive Eastern encephalomyelitis virus, inactive Western encephalomyelitis virus, inactive Venezuelan encephalomyelitis virus, inactive equine herpes virus type 1, inactive equine herpes virus type 4, inactive equine influenza virus strain KY93/A2, inactive equine influenza virus strain KY02/A2, inactive equine influenza virus strain NM/2/93/A2 and a tetanus toxoid fraction.