Vaccination of horses with a recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara virus (MVA) expressing African horse sickness (AHS) virus major capsid protein VP2 provides complete clinical protection against challenge.

Highlights: [•] A recombinant modified Vaccinia Ankara virus expressing VP2 of African horse sickness virus serotype 9 was generated. [•] Four horses were vaccinated on days 0 and 20. Three unvaccinated controls were used. [•] Vaccinated and control horses were challenged intravenously with 107.4TCID50 of AHSV-9 on day 34 of the study. [•] At challenge, vaccinates had virus neutralising antibodies but were negative for antibodies to AHSV-VP7. [•] All vaccinates were completely protected against clinical signs of African horse sickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]