Role of cell-mediated immunity in bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection in ruminants: its implication for the vaccination strategy against retroviruses.

Recent studies in the immunopathogenesis of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection in ruminants, reviewed herein, provide an insight into the vaccination strategy against retrovirus infection. It was shown that vaccination of naive sheep with a recombinant vaccinia virus (RVV) expressing BLV envelope glycoprotein protected the animals against BLV infection. The involvement of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in this phenomenon was strongly suggested. The postinfection vaccination, that is, the vaccination of BLV-infected animals with RVV, also significantly suppressed BLV replication in the carrier animals. These findings support the idea that vaccination against retroviruses should put its emphasis on the induction of CMI and that such vaccine could be used not only for prophylactic but also for therapeutic purposes.