Antibody and Cell‐mediated Immune Responses to Feline Calicivirus Following Inactivated Vaccine and Challenge

Abstract

Betapropriolactone‐inactivated feline calicivirus (FCV) vaccine stimulated homotypic virus neutralizing antibody in 4 vaccinated cats and heterotypic neutralizing antibody in 3 of 4 vaccinates. Fluctuation in the stimulation index (SI) of concanavalin A (Con‐A)‐induced lymphocyte blastogenesis (LB) was observed following vaccination. FCV antigen (Ag)‐induced LB with SI>2 was detected in the 4 vaccinated cats by day 3 following first vaccination and an anamnestic LB response was evident in 3 of the 4 vaccinated cats following the second vaccination. Following FCV challenge 6 months post‐vaccination there was a fall in the SI that was more obvious in washed blood cultures, while increased SI w..