CHARACTERIZATION OF A HUMAN ADENOVIRUS .5. RABIES GLYCOPROTEIN RECOMBINANT VACCINE REISOLATED FROM ORALLY VACCINATED SKUNKS

An infectious recombinant human adenovirus which carries the rabies gl ycoprotein gene and accompanying SV40 control elements can be given or ally to skunks to immunize them against rabies. We have looked for ade novirus in the feces and oral fluids of animals that have been given t his recombinant and have obtained 111 virus positive samples from 16 t est animals. DNA from these virus isolates was examined for possible m utations. One possible insertion mutation was detected by Smal restric tion endonuclease analysis of genomic DNA. Further analysis by Haelll restriction and nucleotide sequencing of polymerase chain reaction pro ducts encompassing the whole SV40-rabies insert revealed that this iso late contained an insert of the 72 base pair sequence found in the SV4 0 promoter region. A second mutation, in which 54 base pairs were dele ted from within the rabies glycoprotein gene, was also detected in two independent isolates from one skunk. (C) 1995 The International Assoc iation of Biological Standardization