The protective effect of recombinant glycoprotein vaccine against HIRRV infection

Hirame rhabdovirus (HIRRV) was first reported from flounder (Paralichthys o livaceus) in Japan, and has recently been isolated from an aquaculture farm in the Tongyoung area of Korea. Total RNA isolated from RTG-2 cells infect ed with HIRRV was used in RT-PCR to obtain a cDNA coding for the glycoprote in of HIRRV Korean strain, CA-9703. Around half sized G protein in the C-te rminal region was expressed as glutathione-S-transferase fusion protein, an d used as viral vaccine against HIRRV. Flounder fry were vaccinated with lo w (50 mug/mL) and high (300 mug/mL) doses of vaccine by immersing them for 7 min in vaccine solution. After 1 month, the fish were challenged with HIR RV either by immersion or intraperitoneal injection. Specific losses of fis h treated with low and high vaccine doses by intraperitoneal injection chal lenge were both 6.7%, in contrast to 43.3% in non-vaccinated fish. Losses o f vaccinated fish by immersion challenge were 1.7% and 0% for low and high vaccine doses, respectively, and 15% for the non-vaccinated control.