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What do we know about Equine Rotavirus Immunization and What are the Further Steps?

Abstract

Rotavirus is the main cause of diarrhea in foals and other mammals. Prevention of rotaviruses in horses currently depends on inactivated vaccines parentally administrated to the dams in late gestation to enhance specific antibody levels in colostrum, since orally delivered live vaccines are often inactivated by maternal immunoglobulins. Despite inactivated vaccines have been commercially available since mid-1990s, rotaviruses are still the major cause of diarrhea in foals, which suggests that new vaccine alternatives should be considered. An ideal rotavirus vaccine would provide heterotypic immunity and protection against a wide variety of rotavirus serotypes. Although little progress has been observed in the development of equine rotavirus vaccines in recent years, research in the area have been carried out in other species. The development of subunit and cloned vaccines produced by viral or bacterial vectors has been proposed as a safe and promising alternative and may be a valuable alternative for foals immunization.

Vitória Müller*, Fábio Pereira Leivas Leite*

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