Equine encephalitis vaccine

Treatment — No specific antiviral therapy exists to treat Venezuelan equine encephalitis. Treatment is geared toward relieving headache or myalgia, controlling convulsions, and aiding breathing difficulties. Several experimental drugs (e.g., vaccines TC-83 and TC-84) have shown some promise in the treatment of this virus, but current data on their effectiveness in humans is insufficient.3... 

Bennett, A.M.,Phillpotts, R.J., Perkins, S.D., Jacobs, S.C. and Williamson, E.D. (1999) Gene gun mediated vaccination is superior to manual delivery for immunization with DNA vaccines expressing protective antigens from Yersinia pestis or Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus. Vaccine, 18, 588-596. 

Some vaccines also have applicability for diseases of domestic animals (eg, Rift Valley fever and Venezuelan equine encephalitis). In addition, vaccines are provided to persons who may be occupation-ally exposed to such agents (eg, laboratory workers, entomologists, and veterinary personnel) throughout government, industry, and academe. 

Jahrling PB, Stephenson EH. Protective efficacies of live attenuated and formaldehyde-inactivated Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus vaccines against aerosol challenge in hamsters. J Clin Microbiol. 1984 19(3) 429—431. 

Burke DS, Ramsburg HH, Edelman R. Persistence in humans of antibody to subtypes of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus after immunization with attenuated (TC-83) VEE virus vaccine. J Infect Dis. 1977 136(3) 354 359. 

Calisher CH, Sasso DR, Sather GE. Possible evidence for interference with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus vaccination of equines by pre-existing antibody to eastern or western equine encephalitis virus, or both. Appl Microbiol. 1973 26 485-488. 

Edelman R, Ascher MS, Oster CN, Ramsburg HH, Cole FE, Eddy GA. Evaluation in humans of a new, inactivated vaccine for Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (C-84). J Infect Dis. 1979 140(5) 708 715. 

The third example we will mention is the adjuvanticity of poly(ICLC) with a killed vaccine against Venezuelan Equine encephalitis virus, which is shown in Figure 2. The upper part of this figure shows the production of antibody to the vaccine without poly(ICLC). The vaccine was given twice, as indicated. The lower part of the figure shows the increased. 

Figure 2. Adjuvant effect of poly(ICLC) in monkeys receiving heat killed virus vaccine vs Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus.

---