Experiments on an early protection against foot-and-mouth disease virus

The influence of the peptide diacetylsplenopentin (SP5) on an early protection of guinea pigs against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was investigated. 80% protection was achieved if SP5 was applied in a dose of 2 mg one day before challenge with FMD virus (FMDV) type O1 Lausanne strain. In comparison with this a conventional commercial adsorbate vaccine protected guinea pigs about 7 days after vaccination. An earlier protection can be obtained in general by vaccination with a higher content of the immunogen. A tenfold increase of the 146 S particle dose in a conventional oil adjuvanted FMDV vaccine protected pigs about 2 days earlier as observed after inoculating a "normal" vaccine (about 11 days).