Boosting with Poxviruses Enhances Mycobacterium bovis BCG Efficacy against Tuberculosis in Guinea Pigs
Williams A., Goonetilleke NP., McShane H., Clark SO., Hatch G., Gilbert SC., Hill AVS.
ABSTRACT Tuberculosis is rising in the developing world due to poor health care, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection, and the low protective efficacy of the Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine. A new vaccination strategy that could protect adults in the developing world from tuberculosis could have a huge impact on public health. We show that BCG boosted by poxviruses expressing antigen 85A induced unprecedented 100% protection of guinea pigs from high-dose aerosol challenge with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, suggesting a strategy for enhancing and prolonging the efficacy of BCG.