Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure

Abstract In humans, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infection typically presents as a self-limiting febrile illness but can cause severe complications. Neurological disease manifestations are particularly concerning as they are associated with increased mortality and long-term morbidity. This study d...

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Main Authors: Karina Mueller Brown, Dominique J. Barbeau, Lingqing Xu, Brian H. Bird, Anita K. McElroy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Vaccines
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01200-2
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author Karina Mueller Brown
Dominique J. Barbeau
Lingqing Xu
Brian H. Bird
Anita K. McElroy
author_facet Karina Mueller Brown
Dominique J. Barbeau
Lingqing Xu
Brian H. Bird
Anita K. McElroy
author_sort Karina Mueller Brown
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In humans, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infection typically presents as a self-limiting febrile illness but can cause severe complications. Neurological disease manifestations are particularly concerning as they are associated with increased mortality and long-term morbidity. This study demonstrated that vaccination with live attenuated RVFV was effective in preventing central nervous system (CNS) disease in the CC057/Unc mouse model of late-onset RVF encephalitis. Vaccine candidates (ΔNSs and ΔNSsΔNSm) were safe and immunogenic and elicited both RVFV-specific humoral and cellular immunity. Vaccinated mice survived percutaneous wild-type (WT) RVFV challenge and were protected from CNS disease. Naïve mice that received passive transfer of serum from vaccinated animals 2 days post-WT challenge were protected against late-onset encephalitis. These data demonstrate that humoral immunity is sufficient to protect against RVF encephalitis in CC057/Unc mice and suggest the potential of these vaccine candidates to prevent CNS disease in humans.
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spelling doaj-art-ff23399cf25c40cdb4785cf73fdff36e2025-08-20T03:03:23ZengNature Portfolionpj Vaccines2059-01052025-07-0110111010.1038/s41541-025-01200-2Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposureKarina Mueller Brown0Dominique J. Barbeau1Lingqing Xu2Brian H. Bird3Anita K. McElroy4Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineOne Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineAbstract In humans, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infection typically presents as a self-limiting febrile illness but can cause severe complications. Neurological disease manifestations are particularly concerning as they are associated with increased mortality and long-term morbidity. This study demonstrated that vaccination with live attenuated RVFV was effective in preventing central nervous system (CNS) disease in the CC057/Unc mouse model of late-onset RVF encephalitis. Vaccine candidates (ΔNSs and ΔNSsΔNSm) were safe and immunogenic and elicited both RVFV-specific humoral and cellular immunity. Vaccinated mice survived percutaneous wild-type (WT) RVFV challenge and were protected from CNS disease. Naïve mice that received passive transfer of serum from vaccinated animals 2 days post-WT challenge were protected against late-onset encephalitis. These data demonstrate that humoral immunity is sufficient to protect against RVF encephalitis in CC057/Unc mice and suggest the potential of these vaccine candidates to prevent CNS disease in humans.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01200-2
spellingShingle Karina Mueller Brown
Dominique J. Barbeau
Lingqing Xu
Brian H. Bird
Anita K. McElroy
Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure
npj Vaccines
title Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure
title_full Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure
title_fullStr Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure
title_full_unstemmed Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure
title_short Humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against Rift Valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure
title_sort humoral immunity is sufficient to protect mice against rift valley fever encephalitis following percutaneous exposure
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01200-2
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