Zika virus (ZIKV) infection of pregnant women can cause a wide range of congenital abnormalities. A vaccine to prevent or significantly attenuate viremia in pregnant women residents or travelers to epidemic or endemic regions is needed. Here we report a live-attenuated vaccine candidate that contains a 10-nucleotide deletion in the 3’ untranslated region of the ZIKV genome (10-del ZIKV). The 10-del ZIKV is highly attenuated, immunogenic, and protective in A129 mice. Critically, a single dose of 10-del ZIKV induced sterilizing immunity and completely prevented viremia. Intracranial inoculation of one-day-old immunocompetent CD-1 mice with 1×10<sup>4</sup> infectious focus units (IFU) of 10-del ZIKV caused no mortality, whereas infections with 10 IFU of wild-type ZIKV were lethal. The attenuated 10-del ZIKV was incapable to infect mosquitoes, representing an additional safety feature. Collectively, the safety and efficacy results suggest that further development of this promising live-attenuated ZIKV vaccine candidate is warranted.

A live-attenuated Zika virus vaccine candidate induces sterilizing immunity in mouse models

254th National Meeting (2017)

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