Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Single Dose Of The Deactivated Rabies-Virus Vectored Covid-19 Vaccine, Coravax, Is Highly Efficacious And Alleviates Lung Inflammation In The Hamster Model, Drishya Kurup, Christoph Wirblich, Leila Zabihi Diba, Rachael Lambert, Megan Watson, Noor Shaikh, Holly Ramage, Charalambos Solomides, Matthias J Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Without sufficient herd immunity through either vaccination or natural infection, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is unlikely to be controlled. Waning immunity with the currently approved vaccines suggests the need to evaluate vaccines causing the induction of long-term responses. Here, we report the immunogenicity and efficacy of our adjuvanted single-dose Rabies-vectored SARS-CoV-2 S1 vaccine, CORAVAX, in hamsters. CORAVAX induces high SARS-CoV-2 S1-specific and virus-neutralizing antibodies (VNAs) that prevent weight loss, viral loads, disease, lung inflammation, and the cytokine storm in hamsters. We also observed high Rabies VNA titers. In summary, CORAVAX is a promising dual-antigen vaccine candidate for clinical evaluation …

Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis In The United States: Opportunities To Improve Access, Coordination, And Delivery, Gavin T. Howington, Huy-Binh Nguyen, P. Brandon Bookstaver, Peter Akpunonu, Joshua T. Swan

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Inactivated Rabies Virus-Based Ebola Vaccine Preserved By Vaporization Is Heat-Stable And Immunogenic Against Ebola And Protects Against Rabies Challenge., Drishya Kurup, Christine R. Fisher, Todd G. Smith, Tiago Abreu-Mota, Yong Yang, Felix R. Jackson, Nadia Gallardo-Romero, Richard Franka, Victor Bronshtein, Matthias J. Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Ebola virus (EBOV) is a highly lethal member of the Filoviridae family associated with human hemorrhagic disease. Despite being a sporadic disease, it caused a large outbreak in 2014-2016 in West Africa and another outbreak recently in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several vaccine candidates are currently in preclinical and clinical studies but none are stable without cold chain storage.

METHODS: We used preservation by vaporization (PBV), a novel processing technology to heat-stabilize FiloRab1 (inactivated rabies-based Ebola vaccine), a candidate Ebola vaccine, and stored the vials at temperatures ranging from 4°C to 50°C for 10 days to 12 months. …

Immunization Update, Karl M. Hess, Jeffery A. Goad

Jeff Goad

"Immunization represents a very effective primary prevention strategy to curb the rate of vaccine preventable diseases...Pharmacists can play a leading role in vaccination by serving as an advocate, facilitator, and active immunizer. As an advocate, pharmacists provide vaccine education while motivating people to get immunized. As a facilitator, pharmacy’s can host other groups, such as the visiting nurses association, to come into the pharmacy and vaccinate. As an active immunizer, however, pharmacists serve their greatest role by giving immunizations to adolescents and adults."

Knowledge And Attitudes About Tetanus And Rabies: A Population-Based Survey From Karachi, Pakistan, Mohammad Wasay, Abdul Malik, Ammad Fahim, Adnan Yousuf, Rajesh Chawla, Haroon Daniel, Muhammad Rafay, Iqbal Azam, Junaid Razzak

Section of Neurology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate public knowledge regarding predisposing factors, fatality and prevention of Tetanus and Rabies and attitudes toward vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis.

METHODS: A population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in all the 18 towns of Karachi, the largest metropolitan city of Pakistan, from December 2007 to January 2008. Men and women of more than 18 years of age were included in the study which used a self-reporting questionarre as its tool.

RESULTS: There were 1201 people interviewed by the study. The majority of respondents had known or heard about Tetanus (n = 973; 81%) and rabies (n = 699; 58%). …

The Production Of Antibody By Invading B Cells Is Required For The Clearance Of Rabies Virus From The Central Nervous System., D Craig Hooper, Timothy W Phares, Marzena J Fabis, Anirban Roy

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of rabies is associated with the inability to deliver immune effectors across the blood-brain barrier and to clear virulent rabies virus from CNS tissues. However, the mechanisms that facilitate immune effector entry into CNS tissues are induced by infection with attenuated rabies virus.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Infection of normal mice with attenuated rabies virus but not immunization with killed virus can promote the clearance of pathogenic rabies virus from the CNS. T cell activity in B cell-deficient mice can control the replication of attenuated virus in the CNS, but viral mRNA persists. Low levels of passively administered rabies …

Intravenous Inoculation Of A Bat-Associated Rabies Virus Causes Lethal Encephalopathy In Mice Through Invasion Of The Brain Via Neurosecretory Hypothalamic Fibers., Mirjam A R Preuss, Marie-Luise Faber, Gene S Tan, Michael Bette, Bernhard Dietzschold, Eberhard Weihe, Matthias J Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The majority of rabies virus (RV) infections are caused by bites or scratches from rabid carnivores or bats. Usually, RV utilizes the retrograde transport within the neuronal network to spread from the infection site to the central nervous system (CNS) where it replicates in neuronal somata and infects other neurons via trans-synaptic spread. We speculate that in addition to the neuronal transport of the virus, hematogenous spread from the site of infection directly to the brain after accidental spill over into the vascular system might represent an alternative way for RV to invade the CNS. So far, it is unknown …

Immunization Update, Karl M. Hess, Jeffery A. Goad

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Immunization represents a very effective primary prevention strategy to curb the rate of vaccine preventable diseases...Pharmacists can play a leading role in vaccination by serving as an advocate, facilitator, and active immunizer. As an advocate, pharmacists provide vaccine education while motivating people to get immunized. As a facilitator, pharmacy’s can host other groups, such as the visiting nurses association, to come into the pharmacy and vaccinate. As an active immunizer, however, pharmacists serve their greatest role by giving immunizations to adolescents and adults."