ABSTRACT
Melioidosis, caused by the intracellular bacterial pathogen and Tier 1 select agent
Burkholderia pseudomallei
(Bp), is a highly fatal disease endemic in tropical areas. No licensed vaccine against melioidosis exists. In preclinical vaccine studies, demonstrating protection against respiratory infection in the highly sensitive BALB/c mouse has been especially challenging. To address this challenge, we have used a safe yet potent live attenuated platform vector, LVS Δ
capB
, previously used successfully to develop vaccines against the Tier 1 select agents of tularemia, anthrax, and plague, to develop a melioidosis vaccine. We have engineered melioidosis vaccines (rLVS Δ
capB
/Bp) expressing multiple immunoprotective Bp antigens among type VI secretion system proteins Hcp1, Hcp2, and Hcp6, and membrane protein LolC. Administered intradermally, rLVS Δ
capB
/Bp vaccines strongly protect highly sensitive BALB/c mice against lethal respiratory Bp challenge, but protection is overwhelmed at very high challenge doses. In contrast, administered intranasally, rLVS Δ
capB
/Bp vaccines remain strongly protective against even very high challenge doses. Under some conditions, the LVS Δ
capB
vector itself provides significant protection against Bp challenge, and consistent with this, both the vector and vaccines induce humoral immune responses to Bp antigens. Three-antigen vaccines expressing Hcp6-Hcp1-Hcp2 or Hcp6-Hcp1-LolC are among the most potent and provide long-term protection and protection even with a single intranasal immunization. Protection via the intranasal route was either comparable to or statistically significantly better than the single-deletional Bp mutant Bp82, which served as a positive control. Thus, rLVS Δ
capB
/Bp vaccines are exceptionally promising safe and potent melioidosis vaccines.
IMPORTANCE
Melioidosis, a major neglected disease caused by the intracellular bacterial pathogen
Burkholderia pseudomallei
, is endemic in many tropical areas of the world and causes an estimated 165,000 cases and 89,000 deaths in humans annually. Moreover,
B. pseudomallei
is categorized as a Tier 1 select agent of bioterrorism, largely because inhalation of low doses can cause rapidly fatal pneumonia. No licensed vaccine is available to prevent melioidosis. Here, we describe a safe and potent melioidosis vaccine that protects against lethal respiratory challenge with
B. pseudomallei
in a highly sensitive small animal model—even a single immunization is highly protective, and the vaccine gives long-term protection. The vaccine utilizes a highly attenuated replicating intracellular bacterium as a vector to express multiple key proteins of
B. pseudomallei
; this vector platform has previously been used successfully to develop potent vaccines against other Tier 1 select agent diseases including tularemia, anthrax, and plague.