Adenovirus vectors

Infectious diseases are the prime cause of morbidity and mortality in animals leading to heavy economic losses to the livestock/poultry industry. One of the most effective ways to control these losses is by use of recombinant vaccines. However, one of the requirements for the development of efficient recombinant veterinary vaccines is the availability of an efficient vaccine delivery system. The basic characteristic of the viruses to successfully deliver their genetic material into the host cells makes them a powerful tool for introducing foreign DNA into a variety of eukaryotic cells. While recombinant vectors from a number of viruses are available, vectors based on adenoviruses are being evaluated in the highest number of vaccination and gene therapy clinical trials globally. Interestingly, the last decade has witnessed a significant increase in the development and evaluation of species- or non-species-specific adenoviruses as vectors for veterinary vaccines. In fact, an adenovirus-vectored foot and mouth disease vaccine has been conditionally licensed for use in cattle in the USA. This chapter focuses on the current state of the research related to the development of adenovirus-vectored veterinary vaccines.