%0 Journal Article %A Aspden, Kate %A Passmore, Jo-Ann %A Tiedt, Friedrich %A Williamson, Anna-Lise %T Evaluation of lumpy skin disease virus, a capripoxvirus, as a replication-deficient vaccine vector %D 2003 %J Journal of General Virology, %V 84 %N 8 %P 1985-1996 %@ 1465-2099 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.19116-0 %I Microbiology Society, %X Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a capripoxvirus with a host range limited to ruminants, was evaluated as a replication-deficient vaccine vector for use in non-ruminant hosts. By using the rabies virus glycoprotein (RG) as a model antigen, it was demonstrated that recombinant LSDV encoding the rabies glycoprotein (rLSDV-RG) was able to express RG in both permissive (ruminant) and non-permissive (non-ruminant) cells. The recombinant LSDV, however, replicated to maturity only in permissive but not in non-permissive cells. Recombinant LSDV-RG was assessed for its ability to generate immunity against RG in non-ruminant hosts (rabbits and mice). Rabbits inoculated with rLSDV-RG produced rabies virus (RV) neutralizing antibodies at levels twofold higher than those reported by the WHO to be protective. BALB/c mice immunized with rLSDV-RG elicited levels of RV-specific cellular immunity (T-cell proliferation) comparable with those of mice immunized with a commercial inactivated rabies vaccine (Verorab; Pasteur Merieux). Most importantly, mice immunized with rLSDV-RG were protected from an aggressive intracranial rabies virus challenge. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.19116-0