The invention provides methods and kits for immunizing animals (e.g. mammals) against viral antigens, including herpes-simplex virus type 2. The protective immune response elicited by the methods and kits of the invention is characterized by robust humoral, cellular, and mucosal immunity. In particular, the invention provides a heterologous immunization method comprising a priming DNA vaccine encoding an antigen and a boosting protein vaccine, in which the protein form of the antigen is encapsulated in liposomes. Methods of preventing primary acute, latent and recurrent viral infections, such as that caused by HSV-2 virus, and methods of providing passive protective immunity against a viral pathogen such as HSV-2 virus to a mammal are also disclosed.

Methods and compositions for the treatment of Brucella induced diseases and disorders are disclosed herein. In preferred embodiments, the invention relates to vaccines. In additional embodiments, the invention relates to formulations capable of releasing said vaccines at a controlled rate of release in vivo. In further embodiments, the invention relates to modified strains of the bacteria Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus. In still further embodiments, the invention relates to compositions that do not induce clinical symptoms or splenomegaly in a subject receiving said compositions.

Inactivated antigens have only been used in avian medicine in parenterally administered vaccines. The only mucosally administered vaccines have been live, modified live, or attenuated vaccines. However, live vaccines have several disadvantages, including the risk of causing disease. Disclosed embodiments concern a composition comprising inactivated bacterial and/or viral antigens that is formulated for mucosal administration to an avian, and a method of using the composition. In certain embodiments, the composition comprises inactivated Clostridium perfringens type A antigens, and/or Salmonella spp. antigens, such as antigens from Salmonella kentucky, Salmonella typhimurium, and/or Salmonella enteriditis, or E. coli antigens. The composition may comprise a polyacrylic acid adjuvant. The composition may be administered to an avian in ovo, during the first 14 days after hatching, or after the first 14 days.

A method and system for the treatment of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus Kluk (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) to protect them from various life-threatening conditions, including the negative effects of various pesticides, provides Monarch butterflies with the ability to assimilate and degrade pesticides such as neonicotinoids and fipronil. Certain embodiments involve the inoculation of flowers by honey bees with desired bacteria that are able to degrade pesticides, such that when Monarch butterflies visit such flowers, they are exposed to such bacteria, transforming the microbiome of the Monarch butterflies so that pesticides can be degraded, thus enhancing the health of the Monarch butterflies.

The invention relates to vaccines for the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases, and to methods of preparing or delivering such vaccines. In particular, a vaccine for use in the prevention or treatment of disease is used in a dose of, via a parenteral route without adjuvant less than 0.03 .Math.g antigen and with adjuvant less than 0.003 .Math.g antigen, and via a mucosal route without adjuvant less than 1 .Math.g antigen and/or the equivalent of 1.6 × 10.sup.7 PFU and with adjuvant less than 0.04 .Math.g antigen and/or the equivalent of 1.6 × 10.sup.7 PFU

The invention relates to a recombinant Mycobacterium cell for use as an immunotherapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer, particularly in the treatment of solid tumors. More particularly, the invention relates to the immunotherapy of bladder carcinoma.

The present disclosure provides a novel method for modulating mucosal immune response, comprising administering an antigen to a mucosal site of a subject in need thereof, and administering an immunomodulator to a different anatomical mucosal site of said subject. The antigen may be administered to sublingual mucosa and the immunomodulator may be administered to intranasal mucosa. An immune response involving production of IgG and IgA against the antigen may be elicited.

The present invention relates to microprojection arrays for the delivery of vaccines, in particular the use of polymer high density microprojection arrays for the delivery of vaccines to patients in which the dose of the vaccine delivered may be less than the dose of vaccine delivered by intramuscular injection while providing equal or superior immunogenicity.

The invention relates to products and methods for treating psoriasis. The products relate to antibodies that inhibit native human IL-23 while sparing IL-12. One example describes a Phase 1, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, ascending single dose study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of an anti-IL-23 antibody (AMG 139) in healthy subjects and subjects with moderate to severe psoriasis.

The present invention relates to immunogenic compositions, such as vaccines, comprising immunogenic polypeptides from Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, for use in methods of boosting an immune response and methods of treatment using same. More particularly, the invention relates to use of such immunogenic compositions in methods of treating or preventing exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.