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.
<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title> <jats:p>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 <jats:italic>Mycobacterium bovis</jats:italic> 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 <jats:italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</jats:italic>, suggesting a strategy for enhancing and prolonging the efficacy of BCG.</jats:p>