CONTROLLED ANTIGEN RELEASE OF SWINE VACCINES USING BIOABSOR-ABLE POLYMERS

CURRENT SWINE VACCINATION PROGRAMS REQUIRE SPECIFIC PERIODS WHEN THE PRODUCTS ARE ADMINISTERED AS WELL AS MULTIPLE DOSES TO BE EFFECTIVE. THE ABILITY TO OFFER MORE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES WITH CONTROLLED ANTIGEN RELEASE AND FEWER INJEC- STRESS ON THE ANIMALS LOWER COSTS TO THE PRODUCER, IMPROVED EFFICACY AND LONGER IMMUNITY. THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR USING BIOAB-SORBABLE POLYMERS AS ADJUVANTS TO DEVELOP NOVEL AND SUPERIORSWINE BIOLOGICALS. USING PSEUDORABIES VIRUS (PRV) AS A MOD-EL, THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IN PHASE I IS DESIGNED TO ACCESS THE KINETICS OF ANTIGEN RELEASE AND THE LEVEL AND DURATION OF ANY ACCOMPANYING IMMUNE RESPONSE. TISSUE COMPATIBILITY OF THE POLYMER VACCINE IN SWINE WILL ALSO BE DETERMINED. TWO CONCENTRATIONS[10(7.3),OR 10(7.8) TDID50] OF INACTIVATEDPRV WILL BE ENCAPSULATED INTO A POLY-(ESTERAMIDE) MATERIAL. THE VIRUS-FILLED CAPSULE WILL BE INJETED INTO PRV NEGATIVE PIGS AND THE ANIMALS WILL BE SEROLOGICALLY MONITORED OVER A FIVE-MONTH PERIOD FOR RELEASE OF THE VIRUS. ANIMALS WILL BE SACRIFICED MONTHLY AND TISSUE FROM THE INJECTION SITE WILL BE EXCISED AND ANALYZED FOR HISTOPATHOLOGY.