The present invention provides a viral vector or bacterial vector, said vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Hantavirus nucleoprotein or antigenic fragment thereof; wherein said vector is capable of inducing a protective immune response in a subject. The present invention also provides compositions and uses of the vector in methods of medical treatment.

The invention contemplates a new synthetic, codon-optimized Sin Nombre virus (SNV) full-length M gene open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a unique consensus amino acid sequence. The SNV ORF was cloned into a plasmid to form the first stable recombinant SNV full-length M gene that elicits neutralizing antibodies. The gene can be engineered into a vaccine system, and is useful to protect mammals against infection with Sin Nombre virus.

The invention contemplates a new synthetic, codon-optimized Sin Nombre virus (SNV) full-length M gene open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a unique consensus amino acid sequence. The SNV ORF was cloned into a plasmid to form the first stable recombinant SNV full-length M gene that elicits neutralizing antibodies. The gene can be engineered into a vaccine system, and is useful to protect mammals against infection with Sin Nombre virus.