Protection induced in mice against a lethal orthopox virus by the Lister strain of vaccinia virus and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA)

The Lister (Elstree) strain of vaccinia virus, used in Israel for vaccination against smallpox, was studied in tissue cultures and in a mouse model. The virus failed to reach the brain of the mice when inoculated intranasally at a dose of 500,000 plaque forming units, but was lethal for 50% of them, when injected intracranially. Lower doses of virus injected intracranially caused some weight loss initially, but later the mice completely recovered. Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), when infected intranasally, did not spread beyond the lungs to other organs of the mice. Even when the mice were inoculated with MVA intracranially, they were not affected. Significant protection against a lethal dose of an orthopoxvirus was obtained in mice following immunization with the Lister strain, while larger doses and repeated vaccination procedure, were required with MVA. The Lister virus stock applied in Israel, was found to be heterogeneous in its plaque morphology. Two variants isolated from it, showed significant attenuation for mice, when inoculated intranasally and intracranially, as compared to a third variant and to the unpurified stock of the virus.