Raccoon poxvirus expressing rabies glycoproteins

1. A recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector (rRCNV) comprising two or more exogenous nucleic acid molecules, each encoding a rabies virus glycoprotein from different strains of the rabies virus, wherein at least two of the nucleic acid molecules are inserted into: (a) the hemagglutinin (ha) locus, or (b) the thymidine kinase (tk) locus, or (c) the hemagglutinin and thymidine kinase loci.

2. The recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector according to claim 1 , wherein a source of rabies virus glycoprotein is selected from the group consisting of a Challenge Virus Standard rabies strain, a Pasteur-Paris rabies strain, a canine rabies street virus, an Arctic Fox rabies virus, a raccoon rabies virus and a bat rabies virus.

3. The recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector according to claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule encoding the glycoprotein that is inserted at the thymidine kinase locus of the raccoon poxvirus genome is from the Challenge Virus Standard rabies strain.

4. The recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector according to claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule encoding the glycoprotein that is inserted at the hemagglutinin locus of the raccoon poxvirus genome is from the Pasteur-Paris rabies strain.

5. The recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector according to claim 1 , wherein the raccoon poxvirus is live and replicable.

6. The recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector according to claim 5 , further comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a rabies virus glycoprotein that is inserted into a third non-essential site of the raccoon poxvirus genome in addition to the thymidine kinase and the hemagglutinin loci of the raccoon poxvirus genome.

7. The recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector of claim 6 , wherein the third non-essential site of the raccoon poxvirus genome is the serine protease inhibitor site.

8. A recombinant rabies vaccine comprising an immunologically effective amount of the recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector of claim 1 and, optionally, a suitable carrier or diluent.

9. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 8 , further comprising a mixture with one or more feline pathogen antigens selected from the group consisting of feline calicivirus, Chlamydophila felis , feline leukemia virus, feline panleukopenia virus, feline rhinotracheitis virus, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus and Bartonella bacteria.

10. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 8 , further comprising a mixture with one or more canine pathogen antigens selected from the group consisting of Ehrlichia canis , canine parvovirus, canine distemper, canine parainfluenza virus, canine adenovirus type II, canine adenovirus, canine coronavirus, Leptospira icterohemorrhagiae, Leptospira canicola, Leptospira grippotyphosa and Leptospira pomona.

11. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 8 , further comprising an adjuvant.

12. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 11 , wherein the adjuvant comprises a mixture of an ethylene/maleic copolymer and an acrylic acid copolymer emulsion.

13. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 9 , further comprising an adjuvant.

14. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 13 , wherein the adjuvant comprises a mixture of an ethylene/maleic copolymer and an acrylic acid copolymer emulsion.

15. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 10 , further comprising an adjuvant.

16. The recombinant rabies vaccine according to claim 15 , wherein the adjuvant comprises a mixture of an ethylene/maleic copolymer and an acrylic acid copolymer emulsion.

17. A method for inducing a protective immune response to rabies in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an effective immunizing amount of the vaccine of claim 8 .

18. A method for inducing a protective immune response to rabies in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an effective immunizing amount of the vaccine of claim 11 .

19. A method for inducing a protective immune response to rabies in a cat which comprises administering to the cat an effective immunizing amount of the vaccine of claim 9 .

20. A method for inducing a protective immune response to rabies in a dog which comprises administering to the dog an effective immunizing amount of the vaccine of claim 10 .

21. A method of making a recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector, comprising the following steps:(a) inserting a nucleic acid sequence encoding a glycoprotein of a first rabies strain into the thymidine kinase locus of the raccoon poxvirus genome;(b) inserting a nucleic acid sequence encoding a glycoprotein of a second rabies strain into the hemagglutinin locus of the raccoon poxvirus genome; and(c) recovering the recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the nucleic acid sequences of steps (a) and (b) further comprise a promoter sequence operably linked to the nucleic acid sequences to allow expression of the nucleic acid and production of the glycoprotein of the first and second rabies strains by the recombinant raccoon poxvirus vector.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first rabies strain is a Challenge Virus Standard rabies strain.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the second rabies strain is a Pasteur-Paris rabies strain.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the effective immunizing amount of the vaccine ranges from about 4.5 Log 10 TCID 50 /ml to about 6.7 Log 10 TCID 50 /ml.

26. The method of claim 17 , wherein the effective immunizing amount of the vaccine ranges from about 5.38 Log 10 TCID 50 /ml to about 6.28 Log 10 TCID 50 /ml.

27. The method of claim 17 , wherein the vaccine is administered as a single dose or as repeated doses.

28. The recombinant rabies vaccine of claim 8 , wherein the vaccine is adjuvant-free.