The invention is directed to compositions and methods for collecting, transporting, and storing, preferably without refrigeration, biological materials, which may comprise samples of biological, clinical, forensic, and/or environmental origin. Compositions preserve the fidelity and/or viability of the collected organisms and/or macromolecules in the sample and permit long-term storage. Compositions are compatible with manipulation of the sample, including propagation and culture of the microorganisms, or isolation, purification, detection, and characterization of macromolecules. Compositions containing microorganisms or macromolecules can be further processed, for example, by nucleic acid testing with greater fidelity and detection as compared to conventional microbial transport media. In particular, the compositions disclosed allow for the safe collection, transport and storage of biological samples for extended periods at ambient temperature, while maintaining the integrity of the macromolecules of the sample for subsequent extraction, identification, and quantitation.

The present invention provides recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) vectors that contain and express antigens of avian pathogens, compositions comprising the recombinant HVT vectors and polyvalent vaccines comprising the recombinant HVT vectors. The present invention further provides methods of vaccination against a variety of avian pathogens and method of producing the recombinant HVT vectors.

Modified influenza virus neuraminidases are described herein that have stabilized NA tetramers which may improve vaccine production efficiency, thus improving the yield of vaccine viruses.

Provided are methods for rapidly inactivating a pathogen, or for producing a vaccine composition containing an inactivated noninfectious pathogen having retained antigenicity and/or immunogenicity, comprising exposing the pathogen to a chemical inactivating agent (e.g., one or more chemical oxidizing, alkylating or crosslinking agents) in the presence of inorganic polyatomic oxyanions in an amount and for a time sufficient to render the pathogen noninfectious while enhancing retention of pathogen antigenicity and/or immunogenicity relative to that retained by contacting the pathogen with the chemical inactivating agent alone. The methods are broadly applicable to pathogens having RNA or DNA genomes (e.g., including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites). Also provided are vaccine compositions (medicaments) containing a pathogen inactivated by exposure to an inactivating agent in the presence of elevated concentrations of inorganic polyatomic oxyanions, and methods for eliciting an immune response in a subject by administering the vaccine compositions.

Provided herein is a method for producing an inactivated virus including a) heating the virus to a temperature sufficient to disrupt the virus membrane; b) exposing the virus of step (a) to a nucleic acid degrading enzyme; and c) cooling the virus to a temperature sufficient to reestablish the integrity of the virus membrane. Also provided herein is a vaccine produced using the instant method.

A vaccine includes a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) vector. The HVT vector has a heterologous polynucleotide coding for and expressing an Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) viral protein 2 (VP2) antigen and a heterologous polynucleotide coding for and expressing an Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus (ILTV) glycoprotein D (gD) antigen. The two heterologous polynucleotides are inserted into one locus in a non-essential region of the HVT genome selected from intergenic region 1 locus, intergenic region 2 locus, intergenic region 3 locus, UL43 locus, US10 locus, US2 locus, and SORF3/US2 locus. The two heterologous polynucleotides are linked by internal ribosome entry site (IRES). The expression of the two heterologous polynucleotides is driven by a cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early (IE) promoter.

A number of improvements for preparing vaccine antigens from disintegrated influenza viruses are disclosed. A splitting step can be followed by detergent exchange. Splitting can take place in the presence of a buffer with a higher ionic strength and/or in the presence of phosphate buffer.