Nebraska scientists develop promising swine flu vaccine method

LINCOLN — Husker scientists have developed a new swine influenza vaccination technique whose low cost and adaptability can greatly strengthen disease protection.

This progress, part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s overall focus on livestock vaccination innovation, directly benefits the state’s $5 billion, 3.6 millionhead swine sector.

The new vaccination approach, explained in a recent peer-reviewed paper in npj Vaccines, encases DNA into fat-like microscopic carriers, called lipid nanoparticles, that are then injected into pigs’ muscle tissue.

A single dose released DNA that generated strong antibody responses within seven to 14 days.

Previous DNA-focused vaccine approaches described in academic literature failed to generate such strong protective responses in combating swine influenza.

In addition, current swine influenza vaccines, which are formulated using whole inactivated virus particles, may sometimes enhance respiratory distress in pigs when they are later infected with a different, non-matching viral strain.

The Nebraska approach, in contrast, produced no worsening of respiratory conditions but instead prevented those conditions. In short, the new approach developed by Nebraska and partner research institutions offers key advantages — it is fast, effective, low-cost and easily updatable, said Hiep Vu, associate professor of animal science. Vu, an internationally recognized expert in animal virology, provided mentorship for the project, which was primarily carried out by Husker graduate student The Nguyen, now a doctoral student in biomedical engineering at the University of Connecticut.