The present invention relates to a hybrid vaccine for protecting a feline against diseases associated with respiratory diseases. The vaccine commonly includes a feline antigen. Methods for protecting felines against diseases associated with feline gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases, including but not limited to feline calicivirus, feline rhinotracheitis and feline panleukopenia, and methods of producing the feline vaccine are also provided.

Methods for purifying human Calciviruses are disclosed, including Noroviruses and Sapoviruses.

The present invention relates to a new feline capsid protein, to live attenuated feline calicivirus comprising that capsid protein, to live recombinant carrier viruses and live attenuated hybrid feline calicivirus comprising that capsid protein, to vaccines comprising such live attenuated feline caliciviruses, live recombinant carrier viruses and live attenuated hybrid feline calicivirus, and to methods for the preparation of such viruses.

Nucleic acids encoding modified norovirus VP1 proteins, and virus-like particles (VLPs) containing one or more of the modified norovirus VP1 proteins, and compositions containing the nucleic acids, VP1 proteins, or the VLPs are provided. Methods for producing modified norovirus VP1 protein, and norovirus VLP, production in plants, portions of the plant or a plant cell, are also provided.

The present invention relates to vaccine compositions comprising Norovirus antigens and adjuvants, in particular, mixtures of monovalent VLPs and mixtures of multivalent VLPs, and to methods of conferring protective immunity to Norovirus infections in a human subject.

Disclosed herein are vaccine compositions, in particular, polyvalent icosahedral compositions for antigen presentation. The disclosed compositions may contain an S particle made up of recombinant fusion proteins. The recombinant fusion proteins may include a norovirus (NoV) S domain protein, a linker protein domain operatively connected to the norovirus S domain protein, and an antigen protein domain operatively connected to said linker.

Two-component vaccine formulations and methods are contemplated where the vaccine has an adjuvant component and a therapeutic component. The therapeutic component comprises preferably a recombinant therapeutic virus encoding a therapeutic antigen while the adjuvant component comprises a non-host cell or immune stimulating portion thereof. Notably, use of the adjuvant component will result in significant uptake of the therapeutic component into immune competent cells, even in the absence of receptors for entry of the therapeutic component. In addition, such adjuvant also stimulates expression of the therapeutic antigen.

Isolated V.sub.HH monoclonal antibodies are disclosed that specifically bind to a Norovirus polypeptide. In some embodiments, the Norovirus is a Genogroup I Norovirus or a Genogroup II Norovirus. In other embodiments, the Norovirus is Norwalk or MD2004 virus. In some embodiments, the monoclonal antibodies specifically bind VP1. Also disclosed are compositions including the disclosed antibodies, nucleic acids encoding these antibodies, expression vectors including the nucleic acids, and isolated host cells that express the nucleic acids. The antibodies and compositions disclosed herein can be used for detecting the presence of a Norovirus in a biological sample, or detecting a Norovirus infection. Also disclosed are methods of treating and/or preventing a NoV infection.

A dry powder norovirus vaccine is provided, which comprises at least two norovirus antigens representing different genogroups. The vaccine may be produced by formulation with a mixture of different antigens or combination of monovalent powders with each containing one antigen. The formulated vaccine is suitable for mucosal administration and soluble in aqueous solutions for parenteral administration. A method of immunization is also provided, which comprises at least one administration of the vaccine via mucosal and/or parental route. The immunization may have multiple administrations of the vaccine, i.e., one or more immunizations via a mucosal route followed by one or more immunizations via a parenteral route or vice versa, to maximize both mucosal and systemic immune responses and protection against norovirus infections.

Two-component vaccine formulations and methods are contemplated where the vaccine has an adjuvant component and a therapeutic component. The therapeutic component comprises preferably a recombinant therapeutic virus encoding a therapeutic antigen while the adjuvant component comprises a non-host cell or immune stimulating portion thereof. Notably, use of the adjuvant component will result in significant uptake of the therapeutic component into immune competent cells, even in the absence of receptors for entry of the therapeutic component. In addition, such adjuvant also stimulates expression of the therapeutic antigen.