A live-attenuated influenza vaccine for H3N2 canine influenza virus

Canine influenza is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused by two subtypes (H3N2 and H3N8) of canine influenza virus (CIV). Currently, only inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) are available for the prevention of CIVs. Historically, live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) have been shown to produce better immunogenicity and protection efficacy than IIVs. Here, we have engineered a CIV H3N2 LAIV by using the internal genes of a previously described CIV H3N8 LAIV as a master donor virus (MDV) and the surface HA and NA genes of a circulating CIV H3N2 strain. Our findings show that CIV H3N2 LAIV replicates efficiently at low temperature but its replication is impaired at higher temperatures. The CIV H3N2 LAIV was attenuated in vivo but induced better protection efficacy in mice against challenge with wild-type CIV H3N2 than a commercial CIV H3N2 IIV. This is the first description of a LAIV for the prevention of CIV H3N2 in dogs.