Development of a dendrimeric peptide-based approach for the differentiation of animals vaccinated with FlagT4G against classical swine fever from infected pigs

Authors: BOHÓRQUEZ, JOSÉ ALEJANDRO - Institute De Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentaries (IRTA); DEFAUS, SIRA - Pompeu Fabra University; PÉREZ-SIMÓ, MARTA - Institute De Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentaries (IRTA); ALBERCH, MÒNICA - Institute De Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentaries (IRTA); Gladue, Douglas; Borca, Manuel; ANDREU, DAVID - Pompeu Fabra University; GANGES, LLILIANNE - Institute De Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentaries (IRTA)

Submitted to: Viruses
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2021
Publication Date: 10/2/2021
Citation: Bohórquez, J., Defaus, S., Pérez-Simó, M., Alberch, M., Gladue, D.P., Borca, M.V., Andreu, D., Ganges, L. 2021. Development of a dendrimeric peptide-based approach for the differentiation of animals vaccinated with FlagT4G against classical swine fever from infected pigs. Viruses. https://doi.org/10.3390/v13101980.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v13101980

Interpretive Summary: Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) causes a viral disease that affects domestic and wild swine. Vaccines are available but because they are modified CSFV's that do not cause disease, it is hard to tell if an animal is infected or vaccinated. In order to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals (DIVA concept), a test had to be made, this study evaluates a DIVA test for a classical swine fever virus vaccine.

Technical Abstract: Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) causes a viral disease that affects domestic and wild swine of high epidemiological and economical significance. Control of the disease in endemic countries is based in the use of live-attenuated vaccines (LAV) which induce an early protective immune re-sponse against highly virulent CSFV strains. The main disadvantage in the use of the currently available LAV is the absence of serological techniques to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals (DIVA concept). Here, we describe the development of a serological diagnostic tool (FlagDIVA test) for the differentiation of animals vaccinated with the FlagT4G vaccine can-didate, from those infected with CSFV field strains. The developed FlagDIVA test is a direct ELISA based in the use of a dendrimeric construct harboring a conserved epitope of the CSFV structural protein E2. While the FlagDIVA test performed similarly to the commercial CSFV ELISA test in detecting anti-CSFV antibodies in CSFV infected animals, does not recognize the antibody re-sponse elicited in FlagT4G vaccinated animals. Therefore, the FlagDIVA test presented here con-stitutes a useful accompanying DIVA tool for the FlagT4G vaccine candidate