An optimized vaccine vector based on recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus gives high-level, long-term protection against Yersinia pestis challenge.

We have developed recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vectors expressing the Yersinia pestis lcrV gene. These vectors, given intranasally to mice, induced high antibody titers to the LcrV protein and protected against intranasal (pulmonary) challenge with Y. pestis. High-level protection was dependent on using an optimized VSV vector that expressed high levels of the LcrV protein from an lcrV gene placed in the first position in the VSV genome, followed by a single boost. This VSV-based vaccine vector system has potential as a plague vaccine protecting against virulent strains lacking the F1 protein.