Passive immunization and active vaccination against Hendra and Nipah viruses.

Abstract

Hendra virus and Nipah virus are viral zoonoses first recognized in the mid and late 1990's and are now categorized as the type species of the genus Henipavirus within the family Paramyxoviridae. Their broad species tropism together with their capacity to cause severe and often fatal disease in both humans and animals make Hendra and Nipah "overlap agents" and significant biosecurity threats. The development of effective vaccination strategies to prevent or treat henipavirus infection and disease has been an important area of research. Here, henipavirus active and passive vaccination strategies that have been examined in animal challenge models of Hendra and Nipah virus disease are summarized and discussed.