Recombinant herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) vaccine vectors

1. A recombinant herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) having a deletion of an HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene in the genome thereof, and comprising a herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein on a lipid bilayer thereof, wherein the HSV-1 glycoprotein is not encoded for by the recombinant HSV-2 genome and further wherein the HSV-1 glycoprotein is HSV-1 glycoprotein D.

2. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 1 , further comprising an additional non-HSV-2 viral surface glycoprotein on the lipid bilayer.

3. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 1 , further comprising a bacterial surface glycoprotein on the lipid bilayer.

4. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 1 , further comprising a surface glycoprotein from a parasite of a mammal on the lipid bilayer.

5. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 1 , wherein the HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene is an HSV-2 U S 6 gene.

6. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 1 , wherein the HSV-1 glycoprotein D is present on the lipid bilayer by way of transfecting a cell with a recombinant HSV-2 construct having a deletion of an HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene, wherein the cell is or has been transfected to express the HSV-1 glycoprotein D on the lipid bilayer, and wherein the resulting recombinant HSV-2 comprising the HSV-1 glycoprotein D is produced within and released from the cell.

7. A virion of a recombinant HSV-2 having a deletion of an HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene in the genome thereof and comprising a herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D on a lipid bilayer thereof, wherein the HSV-1 glycoprotein is not encoded for by the recombinant HSV-2 genome.

8. The virion of claim 7 , further comprising an additional non-HSV-2 viral surface glycoprotein on the lipid bilayer.

9. The virion of claim 7 , further comprising a bacterial surface glycoprotein on the lipid bilayer.

10. The virion of claim 7 , further comprising a surface glycoprotein from a parasite of a mammal on the lipid bilayer.

11. The virion of claim 7 , wherein the HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene is an HSV-2 U S 6 gene.

12. The virion of claim 7 , wherein said virion is generated by transfecting a cell with a recombinant HSV-2 construct having a deletion of an HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene, wherein the cell is or has been transfected to express the HSV-1 glycoprotein D on a cell membrane thereof.

13. A vaccine composition comprising a recombinant herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) having a deletion of an HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene in the genome thereof, and comprising a herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein on a lipid bilayer thereof, wherein the HSV-1 glycoprotein is not encoded for by the recombinant HSV-2 genome and further wherein the HSV-1 glycoprotein is HSV-1 glycoprotein D.

14. A composition comprising the virus of claim 1 or virion of claim 7 , wherein the genome of the virus or virion comprises at least a deletion of a second gene, wherein the second gene is necessary for HSV-2 viral replication.

15. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the virus of claim 1 , or the virion of any of claim 7 or 8 - 11 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

16. The recombinant virus of claim 1 or virion of claim 7 wherein the genome encodes a heterogenous surface antigen.

17. A vaccine comprising a virion of a recombinant HSV-2 having a deletion of an HSV-2 glycoprotein D-encoding gene in the genome thereof and comprising a herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein on a lipid bilayer thereof, wherein the HSV 1 glycoprotein is not encoded for by the recombinant HSV-2 genome and wherein the HSV 1 glycoprotein is HSV 1 glycoprotein D.

18. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 2 , wherein the viral surface glycoprotein is encoded by a transgene in the genome of the recombinant HSV-2.

19. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 2 or 18 , wherein the viral surface glycoprotein is from a viral pathogen.

20. The recombinant HSV-2 of claim 6 , wherein the cell is a VD60 cell.

21. The virion of the recombinant HSV-2 of claim 12 , wherein the cell is a VD60 cell.