Oral immunisation of mice with live Japanese encephalitis virus induces a protective immune response

This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of oral immunisation of mice with live Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Swiss albino mice were immunised with JEV by the peroral (p.o.), intraperitoneal (i.p.) and the subcutaneous (s.c.) routes on days 0, 7 and 14 using either mouse brain derived immunogen (MBDI) or cell culture derived immunogen (CCDI). Oral immunisation of mice evoked high anti-JEV antibody titres by ELISA (Geometric mean titres of 5065 with CCDI and 8854 with MBDI). Moreover, the orally immunised mice showed 76.7% protection with MBDI and 70% with CCDI against intracerebral challenge with a lethal dose of JEV. This study demonstrates for the first time that oral immunisation of mice with live JEV generates a brisk, protective immune response. The results of this study suggest that oral immunisation with JEV holds promise for the future.