DETERMINATION OF PROPHYLACTIC EFFICACY OF VARIOUS HEPATITS C VIRUS VACCINES

该子项目是利用NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为中心，不一定是研究者所在机构。因此，迫切需要一种预防性HCV疫苗。HCV感染通常发生在地球仪周围，这是由于肠胃外暴露于病毒。在发达国家，最常见的风险因素是静脉注射吸毒者共用针头。其他处于危险中这些群体包括阳性母亲所生的婴儿、有频繁和多个异性伴侣的人、保健工作者、有受感染家庭成员的人和血液透析患者。在美国，CDC估计每年大约有30，000例新感染。在发展中国家，同样的风险因素也很明显，但除此之外，非无菌医疗注射做法对目前的疾病负担起到了巨大而悲惨的作用。涉及肠胃外接触病毒的文化习俗也被认为在发展中国家的传播中发挥重要作用。因此，迫切需要开发预防性疫苗。我们打算测试对异源HCV毒株延迟攻击的有效性。几种候选疫苗将在5只黑猩猩中进行测试，以激发对HCV的体液和细胞免疫应答。显著免疫原性的证明将导致用异源1a HCV毒株攻击疫苗。这项研究正在进行中。结果将是专有的。未来的发展方向将取决于商业策略，

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. There is an urgent medical need for a preventive HCV vaccine. HCV infection occurs commonly around the globe as a result of parenteral exposure to the virus. In developed countries, the most common risk factor is sharing of needles amongst iv drug users. Other ¿at-risk¿ groups include babies born to positive mothers, individuals with frequent and multiple heterosexual partners, health-care workers, individuals with an infected family member, and hemodialysis patients. In the USA, the CDC has estimated that there are roughly 30,000 new infections annually. In developing countries, the same risk factors are evident but in addition, non-sterile medical injection practices have contributed hugely and tragically to the current disease burden. Cultural practices involving parenteral exposure to the virus are also thought to play an important role in transmission in the developing world. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of a prophylactic vaccine. We intend to test efficacy against a delayed challenge with a heterologous HCV strain. Several candidate vaccines will be tested in groups of 5 chimpanzees for the elicitation of humoral and cellular immune responses to HCV. The demonstration of significant immunogenicity will then lead to challenge of vaccines with a heterologous 1a HCV strain. This study is in progress. Results will be proprietary. Future directions will be determined by the commercial spo