Evaluation of the Protective Efficacy of Recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Vectors Against Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever in Nonhuman Primate Models
Abstract
Marburg (MARV) and Ebola (EBOV) viruses cause severe and often fatal hemorrhagic diseases for which there are currently no vaccines or therapies approved forhuman use. The reported potential of filoviruses as biological weapons (Alibek, Handelmann 1999; Miller J 2001; Borio, Inglesby et al. 2002) and the recent attention drawn to outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging viruses, such as the 2004-2005 epidemic of MARV hemorrhagic fever (HF) in Angola (WHO 2005; Towner, Khristovaet al. 2006; CDC 2005), has significantly increased public recognition of these deadly pathogens.The development of effective treatments and therapies has been an ongoing challenge since these viruses were first discovered. The requirement for biosafety level (BSL)-4 containment has served as a major impediment towards the development of therapeutics. To date, the only available form of treatment for filoviral HF is intensive supportive care. With continual developments of biocontainment laboratories nationwide, additional and more promising means of treatment and prevention are needed for laboratory workers. Furthermore, the recent MARV outbreak in Angola, with case fatality rates approaching 90 percent, desperately calls attention to the fact that there is acritical and pressing need for effective countermeasures against the filoviruses. This thesis entails evaluating in nonhuman (NHP) models a live, attenuated, recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vector platform expressing the transmembrane glycoprotein (GP) gene of MARV as both a preventative vaccine and Marburg (MARV) and Ebola (EBOV) viruses cause severe and often fatal hemorrhagic diseases for which there are currently no vaccines or therapies approved for human use. The reported potential of filoviruses as biological weapons (Alibek,Handelmann 1999; Miller J 2001; Borio, Inglesby et al. 2002) and the recent attention drawn to outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging viruses, such as the 2004-2005 epidemic of MARV hemorrhagic.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 19, 2007
- Accession Number
- AD1013966
Entities
People
- Kathleen Daddario-dicaprio
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences