Development of a highly efficacious vaccinia-based dual vaccine against smallpox and anthrax, two important bioterror entities.

ABSTRACT: Bioterrorism poses a daunting challenge to global security and public health in the 21st century. Variola major virus, the etiological agent of smallpox, and Bacillus anthracis, the bacterial pathogen responsible for anthrax, remain at the apex of potential pathogens that could be used in a bioterror attack to inflict mass casualties. Although licensed vaccines are available for both smallpox and anthrax, because of inadequacies associated with each of these vaccines, serious concerns remain as to the deployability of these vaccines, especially in the aftermath of a bioterror attack involving these pathogens. We have developed a single vaccine (Wyeth/IL-15/PA) using the licensed Wyeth smallpox vaccine strain that is efficacious against both smallpox and anthrax due to the integration of im

SUBMITTER: Merkel TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2964248 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature