Immune response induced by Vero cell culture adapted buffalo pox virus in rabbits and buffaloes

The Vero cell culture adapted buffalo pox virus was found to be completely attenuated at 40th passage for rabbits as well as buffaloes since it did not produce any thermal reaction or skin lesions. It induced high level of humoral and cell mediated immune response in rabbits as well as buffaloes. The antibody titres obtained were 80-160 for SN antibody, 32 for complement fixing and 640-1280 for enzyme immunoassay antibodies. The percent migration inhibition (MI) of leukocytes was 65.3% in rabbits and 69.50% in buffaloes, MI of macrophages was 62.15% in rabbits and 63.02% in buffaloes with a high skin reactive factor value. In protection tests conducted in rabbits and buffaloes, all the vaccinated animals were immune as compared to controls which showed severe disease.