dsRNAs as influenza virus vaccine adjuvants or immuno-stimulants

Abstract

Vaccine protection against acute or chronic viral infection is facilitated by using as an adjuvant or immuno-stimulant, a dsRNA together with an anti-influenza vaccine.

1 . A method of facilitating vaccine protection against an acute or chronic viral infection comprising the coordinated administration to a subject requiring protection an immunity-inducing amount of an antiviral vaccine together with, as an adjuvant or immuno-stimulant, a dsRNA. 
     
     
         2 . A method of facilitating vaccine protection against an acute or chronic viral infection wherein the antiviral vaccine is administered in combination with, as an adjuvant or immuno-stimulant, a dsRNA. 
     
     
         3 . A method of facilitating vaccine protection against an acute or chronic viral infection according to  claim 1  comprising administering substantially simultaneously or sequentially to a subject requiring protection an immunity-inducing amount of an antiviral vaccine together in admixture with, as an adjuvant or immuno-stimulant, a dsRNA. 
     
     
         4 . A method of protecting an animal or animal cells susceptible to avian flu virus against viral-induced pathology secondary to antigenic drift or shift, as evidenced by mutational changes or molecular rearrangement in the viral particle structure, the method comprising exposing the animal or animal cells to a mismatched dsRNA before, during or after exposure to an anti-avian flu vaccine. 
     
     
         5 . A method of facilitating vaccine protection against an acute or chronic avian influenza infection comprising the coordinated administration to a subject requiring protection an immunity-inducing amount of an antiviral vaccine other than avian influenza together with, as an adjuvant or immuno-stimulant, a dsRNA. 
     
     
         6 . A method of facilitating vaccine protection against an acute or chronic avian influenza infection according to  claim 5  comprising administering to a subject requiring protection an immunity-inducing amount of an antiviral vaccine other than avian influenza in combination with or in admixture with, as an adjuvant or immuno-stimulant, a dsRNA. 
     
     
         7 . A method of protecting an animal or animal cells susceptible to avian flu virus comprising exposing the animal or animal cells to a mismatched dsRNA before, during or after exposure to an influenza vaccine other than an anti-avian flu vaccine. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where influenza vaccine includes the standard seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  in which the dsRNA is additionally complexed with an RNA-stabilizing polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  in which the stabilizing polymer is lysine or cellulose. 
     
     
         11 . A method of  claim 2 , where influenza vaccine includes the standard seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2  in which the dsRNA is additionally complexed with an RNA-stabilizing polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  in which the stabilizing polymer is lysine or cellulose. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3  in which the dsRNA is additionally complexed with an RNA-stabilizing polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  in which the stabilizing polymer is lysine or cellulose. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 5  in which the dsRNA is additionally complexed with an RNA-stabilizing polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  in which the stabilizing polymer is lysine or cellulose. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 6  in which the dsRNA is additionally complexed with an RNA-stabilizing polymer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  in which the stabilizing polymer is lysine or cellulose. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 7  in which the dsRNA is additionally complexed with an RNA-stabilizing polymer. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  in which the stabilizing polymer is lysine or cellulose.