D. Matteucci et al., VACCINATION PROTECTS AGAINST IN-VIVO GROWN FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF DETECTABLE NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES, Journal of virology, 70(1), 1996, pp. 617-622
So far, vaccination experiments against feline immunodeficiency virus
have used in vitro-grown virus to challenge the vaccinated hosts. In t
his study, cats were vaccinated with fixed feline immunodeficiency vir
us-infected cells and challenged with plasma obtained from cats infect
ed with the homologous virus diluted to contain 10 cat 50% infectious
doses. As judged by virus culture, PCRs, and serological analyses perf
ormed over an 18-month period after the challenge, all of the vaccinat
ed cats were clearly protected. Interestingly, prior to challenge most
vaccinees lacked antibodies capable of neutralizing a fresh isolate o
f the homologous virus.