Safety and immunogenicity of 17DD attenuated yellow fever vaccine in howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.)

• Published in: Journal of medical primatology Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 36 - 45
• Main Authors: Tavares da Silva Fernandes, André, Moreira, Silvia Bahadian, Gaspar, Luciane Pinto, Simões, Marisol, Cajaraville, Ana Carolina dos Reis Albuquerque, Pereira, Renata Carvalho, Gomes, Mariana Pierre de Barros, Linhares, José Henrique Rezende, Santos, Vanessa de Oliveira, Santos, Renata Tourinho, Amorim, Juliana Fernandes, Barros, Tamiris Azamor da Costa, Melgaço, Juliana Gil, Silva, Andréa Marques Vieira, Fernandes, Camilla Bayma, Tubarão, Luciana Neves, Silva, Jane, Caride, Elena Cristina, Borges, Maria Beatriz, Guimarães, Rosane Cuber, Marchevsky, Renato Sérgio, Lima, Sheila Maria Barbosa, Ano Bom, Ana Paula Dinis, Neves, Patrícia Cristina da Costa, Pissinatti, Alcides, Freire, Marcos da Silva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-02-2021
• Subjects: Alouatta; Atelidae; Endangered species; epizootic; Epizootics; howler monkey; Immune response (humoral); Immunization; Immunogenicity; monkey immunization; Monkeys & apes; sentinel monkey; Vaccination; vaccine efficacy; Vaccines; Viremia; virus; Yellow fever; sentinel monkey; Atelidae; epizootic; howler monkey; monkey immunization; Alouatta; yellow fever; vaccine efficacy; virus
• ISSN: 0047-2565; 1600-0684
• DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12501

Background
Alouatta spp. are highly susceptible to yellow fever (YF) infection and develop an often fatal disease. The threat posed by an outbreak started in 2016 leads us to investigate vaccination as a potential tool in preventing YF in non‐human primates (NHP).
Methods
Susceptible howler monkeys were immunized with three different concentrations of the human Brazilian commercial YF17DD vaccine. Post‐vaccination viremia/RNAemia, immunogenicity, and safety were characterized.
Results
The vaccine did not produce YF clinical manifestations in any of the NHPs. After immunization, all animals seroconverted demonstrating the ability of the YF vaccine to induce humoral response in Alouatta species.
Conclusions
The present work has demonstrated the safe and immunogenic profile of the existing YF 17DD vaccine in howler monkeys. This knowledge may support further studies with other susceptible monkey species and provide a possible solution for controlling epizootics and preventing the devastation of endangered species.