Humoral immune response of Swiss mice after immunization with E-selenium adjuvated and non-adjuvated locally prepared Vero-cell rabies vaccine

Abstract

The immune response pattern of Swiss mice immunized intramuscularly using both E-selenium adjuvated and non-adjuvated locally prepared Vero-cell rabies vaccine was able to elicit antibody levels more than the WHO-recommended level of less than 0.5 IU/dose. Two different immunization regimes were applied, 5 single and 3 double doses. The antibodies developed against rabies vaccine could be detected 14 days after immunization using ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence. The highest antibody level was detected 10 to 12 wks after immunization using the 5-single-dose adjuvated vaccine, recording antibody levels of the order of 1/1024. The highest antibody levels using 3 double doses of adjuvated vaccine, or 5 single doses of non-adjuvated vaccine, recorded an antibody titre of the order of 1/512. maintained during the 8th to 10th wks post immunization. The lowest recorded IF antibody level was using 3 double doses of non-adjuvated vaccine, with an antibody titre of the order of 1/128 during the 8th week post immunization. The antibody levels developed in the sera of mice immunized with rabies vaccine, either adjuvated or non-adjuvated, whatever the regimen, was able to induce protection in mice against 100 LD50 of the challenge virus standard for at least 6 months.

KEY WORDS: rabies vaccine, vitamin E, antibody, ELISA, immunofluorescent assay, Challenge Virus Standard.

Egyptian Journal of Botany Vol.5 2003: 86-93