Protection of guinea-pigs against foot-and-mouth disease virus by immunization with a PhoE-FMDV hybrid protein

Abstract A hybrid protein was constructed containing two antigenic determinants of the structural protein VPI of foot-and-mouth disease virus, inserted in a cell surface-exposed region of Escherichia coli outer membrane protein PhoE. Immunization of guinea-pigs with partially purified protein resulted in high levels of neutralizing antibodies and complete protection against challenge with the virus.