• Vaccine Ontology ID: VO_0004489
• Type: DNA vaccine
• Status: Research
• Host Species as Laboratory Animal Model: Mouse
• 26S gene engineering:
  • Type: DNA vaccine construction
  • Description: Vector pVAX expressed 26S structural genes of WEEV strain (Nagata et al., 2005).
  • Detailed Gene Information: Click Here.
• Vector: pVAX (Nagata et al., 2005)
• Immunization Route: Intraepidermal immunization

• Vaccine Ontology ID: VO_0011505
• Type: DNA vaccine
• Status: Research
• E1 gene engineering:
  • Type: DNA vaccine construction
  • Detailed Gene Information: Click Here.
• 6K gene engineering:
  • Type: DNA vaccine construction
  • Detailed Gene Information: Click Here.
• Vector: pVAX (Gauci et al., 2010)
• Immunization Route: Gene Gun

• Vaccine Ontology ID: VO_0011506
• Type: Subunit vaccine
• Status: Research
• E2 gene engineering:
  • Type: Recombinant protein preparation
  • Detailed Gene Information: Click Here.
• Adjuvant:
  • VO ID: VO_0001260
• Immunization Route: Intraperitoneal injection (i.p.)

Mouse Response

• Vaccine Immune Response Type: VO_0000286
• Efficacy: When the DNA vaccine plasmid, pVHX-6, was administered intraepidermally to mice, followed by challenge in a lethal mouse model, the level of protection obtained ranged from 50 to 100% amongst three strains of WEEV (Nagata et al., 2005).

Mouse Response

• Host Strain: BALB/c
• Vaccination Protocol: Three doses of the DNA vaccine containing 2 μg of plasmid DNA in each vaccine were administered 14 days apart by using a Helios gene gun. Inactivated WEE vaccine was used as a positive control (Gauci et al., 2010).
• Challenge Protocol: At 14 days after the third vaccination, the mice were challenged intranasally with 1,500 PFU (25 50% lethal doses [LD50s]) of the homologous 71V-1658 strain of WEEV, 1,500 PFU (25 LD50s) of the heterologous Fleming strain, or 1,500 PFU of the heterologous CBA87 strain. The challenged mice were observed for 14 days for survival and the severity of the infection (Gauci et al., 2010).
• Efficacy: The 6K-E1 structural protein encoded by the DNA vaccine conferred complete protection against challenge with the homologous strain and limited protection against challenge with a heterologous strain (Gauci et al., 2010).

Mouse Response

• Host Strain: BALB/c
• Vaccination Protocol: mice were immunized intraperitoneally with 50 μg of endotoxin-free E. coli-expressed rE2 antigen emulsified with equal volume of TiterMax Gold adjuvant. Two weeks following primary immunization, mice were immunized with the same amount of antigen emulsified with TiterMax Gold adjuvants. After the 3rd and 4th week, mice were further immunized with the same amount of antigen diluted in PBS. Control mice were immunized with only TiterMax Gold adjuvants (Das et al., 2007).
• Challenge Protocol: Live virus working stocks were prepared by diluting 1.5 × 10^3 Plaque Forming Units (PFUs) of WEEV in 50 μl HBSS and was administered to the mice intranasally. Sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/kg body weight) was used intraperitoneally to anaesthetize the mice. When the animals were unconscious, they were carefully supported by hand with their nose up and the virus suspension in HBSS gently applied with a micropipette intranasally. The applied volume was then naturally inhaled into the lungs. Infected animals were observed daily, for up to 14 days post-infection (Das et al., 2007).
• Efficacy: rE2-immunized mice were be partially protected from lethal challenge of WEEV (Das et al., 2007).