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Designing transmissible viral vaccines for evolutionary robustness and maximum efficiency
Nathan C Layman1, Beth M Tuschhoff2, Scott L Nuismer1
1Department of Biological Sciences.
Virus Evolution
|March 8, 2021
Summary
Transmissible vaccines show promise for controlling zoonotic diseases in wildlife. However, evolutionary changes can reduce their effectiveness, but adding a second antigen may improve stability and performance.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Science
- Epidemiology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Emerging infectious diseases pose significant risks, necessitating novel tools to prevent zoonotic spillover.
- Transmissible vaccines offer a promising strategy for controlling animal pathogens in wildlife reservoirs.
- Recombinant viral vaccines that self-disseminate can reduce the effort needed for disease control in hard-to-reach populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of evolutionary trade-offs on the performance of transmissible vaccines.
- To determine how efficacy and evolutionary stability influence vaccine effectiveness.
- To explore strategies for improving vaccine stability and overall performance.
Main Methods:
- Mathematical modeling was used to simulate the dynamics of transmissible vaccines.
- The study analyzed the effects of evolutionary changes on vaccine efficacy and transmission rates.
- The influence of vaccine antigen design, including redundancy, was evaluated.
Main Results:
- Evolutionary instability can significantly impair transmissible vaccine performance, even with optimal efficacy and transmission.
- A trade-off exists between vaccine efficacy and evolutionary stability, where more efficacious antigens may decay faster.
- Including a second, redundant antigen can enhance vaccine stability and overall performance in some cases.
Conclusions:
- The successful deployment of transmissible vaccines requires careful consideration of evolutionary dynamics and epistatic effects.
- Understanding epidemiological features alongside evolutionary pressures is crucial for designing effective and stable vaccines.
- Redundant antigen strategies may offer a viable approach to mitigate evolutionary decay and improve vaccine longevity.
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