Intravaginal administration of an inactivated vaccine prevents lesions induced by caprine herpesvirus-1 in goats

To evaluate the efficacy of mucosal vaccination with a β-propiolactone inactivated caprine herpesvirus-1 (CpHV-1) vaccine, goats received vaginal administrations of two 7-day cycles at 2 weeks intervals. Seven days after the end of the second cycle, goats were challenged intravaginally with 4 ml of virulent BA.1 strain of CpHV-1. Vaccinated goats shed challenge virus for 8 days but, in comparison with control unvaccinated-challenged goats, were significantly protected from the classical clinical signs of genital lesions. Even without adjuvants, prolonged mucosal vaccination induced production of secretory IgA and provided significant clinical protection.