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Researchers develop vaccine to protect against Ebola virus Researchers from South Carolina and Maryland developed a bivalent vaccine that may protect against both the Sudan and Zaire strains of Ebola virus. Their findings appear in the March issue of the Journal of Virology.   Ebola virus (EBOV) causes a severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates resulting in death in 90 percent of those infected. Two particular strains, Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV) and Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), was responsible for the deadly human outbreaks that occurred in Africa.    To date, outbreaks have been limited to this region. Increasing international travel and bioterrorist threats, however, have reinforced the need for an effective and swift-acting vaccine.   In the study researchers vaccinated mice with a bivalent vaccine, containing both SEBOV and ZEBOV genes, and found that vaccination led to efficient induction of EBOV antibody and immune responses to both strains.  In addition, a group of immunized mice were challenged with a lethal dose of ZEBOV and the survival rate was 100 percent.   “To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a bivalent EBOV vaccine to coexpress multiple serotype proteins in a single vaccine construct, eliciting efficient humoral and cellular immune responses to both SEBOV and ZEBOV antigens,” said John  Dong, M.D., Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology and head of the MUSC research team.   Dong is also a member of the MUSC Center for Gene, Cell and Vaccine Therapy. The goal of this center is to develop clinical trials in humans based on findings in the research laboratories.   “The technology described in the manuscript is reflective of the intended outcome of this center and represents a breakthrough in the rapid development of vaccines,” according to Michael G. Schmidt, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. “The significance of the findings described by Dr. Dong and his colleagues is not that this is the first demonstration of a bivalent EBOV vaccine to coexpress multiple serotype proteins in a single vaccine construct, eliciting efficient humoral and cellular immune responses to both SEBOV and ZEBOV antigens, but rather that this study validates the success of their platform technology from which other vaccines may be rapidly developed.”    Presently, Dong and his team at MUSC are developing other vaccines based on this technology against the viruses that cause AIDS (HIV), dengue fever and West Nile Encephalitis. It is anticipated that should a pandemic strain of the influenza virus emerge that this technology will be used in the rapid development of an effective vaccine.     Friday, March 17, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.