A cell culture-derived whole-virus H9N2 vaccine induces high titer antibodies against hemagglutinin and neuraminidase and protects mice from severe lung pathology and weight loss after challenge with a highly virulent H9N2 isolate

► Vero cell culture-derived whole-virus vaccine is highly immunogenic at low doses. ► High titer HI and virus-neutralizing antibodies induced in mice and guinea pigs. ► Vaccine also induces similarly high titers of neuraminidase-inhibiting antibodies. ► Protects against virus replication in the lung after challenge with homologous virus. ► Protects against disease after challenge with highly virulent mouse-adapted virus.