Journal of Bioterrorism & Biodefense
Open Access

Review Article

Virus-Like Particle-Based vaccines for Rift Valley Fever Virus

Robert B. Mandell and Ramon Flick^*

BioProtection Systems, a subsidiary of NewLink Genetics Corporation, 2901 S. Loop Drive, Ames, IA 50010

*Corresponding Author:

Ramon Flick
BioProtection Systems,
a subsidiary of NewLink Genetics Corporation
2901 S. Loop Drive, Ames, IA 50010
Tel: 515-598-5017
E-mail: rflick@bpsys.net

Received Date: July 22, 2011; Accepted Date: September 29, 2011; Published Date: November 04, 2011

Citation: Mandell RB, Flick R (2011) Virus-Like Particle-Based Vaccines for Rift Valley Fever Virus. J Bioterr Biodef S1:008. doi: 10.4172/2157-2526.S1-008

Copyright: © 2011 Mandell RB, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

There is a clear need for a vaccine to protect humans and livestock against the devastating consequences of Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus infections. Virus-like particles (VLPs), readily generated for many viruses by expression of their structural proteins, are a safe and immunogenic vaccine platform that has been approved for use as human vaccines. Pre-clinical studies have shown that RVF VLPs are highly immunogenic and efficacious in rodent models, and thus present a promising vaccine candidate for Rift Valley fever virus.