ANTIBODY AND CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNE-RESPONSES TO FELINE HERPESVIRUS-1 FOLLOWING INACTIVATED VACCINE AND CHALLENGE

Abstract

Specific‐pathogen‐free cats were immunized with a betapropiolactone‐inactivated feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV1) vaccine, with or without alhydrogel adjuvant, and antibody and cell mediated immune responses were measured. Maximal antibody titres were obtained in 2 cats vaccinated with 2 doses of adjuvanted vaccine. Antibody persisted at low levels for at least 10 months in 3 of 4 vaccinated cats and there was a strong anamnestic antibody response in the 4 vaccinated cats following FHV1 challenge 10 months after vaccination. FHV1 antigen specific lymphocyte blastogenesis (LB), was detected following vaccination and challenge. A cell‐mediated plaque reduction (CMPR) assay was developed using both a..