Koi herpesvirus vaccine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a recombinant Koi herpesvirus (KHV), methods for the production of such KHV, cells comprising such KHV and the use of such KHV as vector and in vaccines for the prevention and/or therapeutic treatment of a disease in fish caused by Koi herpesvirus in carp such as Cyprinus carpio carpio or Cyprinus carpio koi.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A live recombinant Koi herpesvirus (KHV) in which Open Reading Frame 57 (ORF57) is deficient, resulting in a live recombinant KHV which is attenuated. 
     
     
         17 . The live recombinant KHV of claim  1 , that is deficient in at least one additional gene which contributes to virulence, but is not essential for replication. 
     
     
         18 . The live recombinant KHV of claim  2 ,
 wherein said at least one additional gene is selected from the group consisting of thymidine kinase gene, ORF12: putative tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor gene, ORF16: putative G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) gene, ORF134: putative Interleukin 10 homologue gene, and ORF 140: putative thymidylate kinase gene.   
     
     
         19 . The live recombinant KHV of claim  1  that comprises a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector sequence. 
     
     
         20 . The live recombinant KHV of  claim 19 , wherein the BAC vector sequence is excised from the herpesvirus genome thereby leaving a heterologous DNA fragment at the excision site or former insertion site, respectively, in the herpesvirus genome. 
     
     
         21 . The live recombinant KHV of claim  1  that further comprises a heterologous DNA fragment. 
     
     
         22 . The live recombinant KHV of claim  1 , which further comprises a heterologous DNA fragment that comprises a heterologous gene; wherein the heterologous gene is a gene encoding the G glycoprotein of rhabdovirus causing carp spring viraemia. 
     
     
         23 . A vector for a heterologous DNA fragment comprising the live recombinant KHV of claim  1 . 
     
     
         24 . A cell comprising the recombinant KHV of claim  1 . 
     
     
         25 . A method for the production of infectious particles of recombinant Koi herpesvirus (KHV), comprising the steps of:
 (a) introducing the live recombinant KHV or a recombinant KHV DNA comprising the genome of the recombinant KHV into permissive eukaryotic cells; and   (b) culturing said cell to produce the recombinant KHV or the recombinant KHV DNA.   
     
     
         26 . A vaccine for the prevention or therapeutic treatment of a disease in fish caused by KHV comprising the live recombinant KHV of claim  1  or a recombinant KHV DNA comprising the genome of the recombinant KHV. 
     
     
         27 . The vaccine of  claim 26  further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         28 . A vaccine for the prevention or therapeutic treatment of a disease in fish caused by rhabdovirus causing carp spring viraemia;
 wherein the vaccine comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the live recombinant KHV of claim  1  comprising a heterologous gene, a recombinant KHV DNA comprising the genome of the recombinant KHV, which comprises a heterologous gene, or both said live recombinant KHV and said recombinant KHV DNA;   wherein the heterologous gene encodes the G glycoprotein of rhabdovirus causing carp spring viraemia.   
     
     
         29 . A method of preventing or therapeutically treating a disease in fish caused by Koi herpesvirus (KHV) comprising administering the vaccine of  claim 28 . 
     
     
         30 . A method of preventing or therapeutically treating a disease in fish caused by Koi herpesvirus (KHV) comprising administering the vaccine of  claim 27 . 
     
     
         31 . A method of preventing or therapeutically treating a disease in fish caused by Koi herpesvirus (KHV) comprising administering the vaccine of  claim 26 .