DELIVERY METHOD FOR RECOMBINANT RACCOON POXVIRUS

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel method to immunize an animal against a heterologous antigen. The method includes the step of administering to the animal, by an intranasal route, a conjunctival route, or a combination thereof, a composition comprising a recombinant raccoon poxvirus having a nucleic acid molecule encoding such a heterologous antigen. Animals to be immunized include those that are susceptible to such routes of recombinant raccoon poxvirus administration. Preferred animals to immunize include felids. Preferably, any immune response generated by the animal against viral antigens of the recombinant raccoon poxvirus is sufficiently small so as to not prevent the animal from eliciting an immune response to a heterologous antigen encoded by a recombinant raccoon poxvirus subsequently administered to the animal.