Semester of Graduation

Fall 2026

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Pathobiological Sciences

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Herpetic keratitis is one of the most common causes of infectious blindness, resulting from infection with herpes-simplex-virus type-1(HSV-1). This virus infects billions of people worldwide, lying dormant in the ganglia of nerves. During initial infection or a subsequent flare-up, the virus can infect the cornea and cause irreparable scarring. A previous vaccine trial with the VC2 vaccine showed protection from herpesvirus infection in mice. Because of their large eyes, rabbits were the next ideal model to study whether this vaccine could protect from ocular pathology. A vaccine trial was undertaken in New Zealand White rabbits. Eighteen rabbits were segregated into three groups: a mock-vaccinated, heat-inactivated virus, and HSV-1(VC2) vaccinated animals. Two weeks after booster immunization, rabbits were inoculated intraocularly with HSV-1(McKrae), which had produced lower mortality in a strain comparison done previously. A board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist periodically examined all animals. While there were no differences in clinical signs, vaccinated rabbits shed significantly less virus than mock rabbits, and VC2 rabbits had significantly greater antibody production than HI rabbits. Now knowing that the vaccine could protect against a non-lethal strain of HSV-1, the study was repeated with the more lethal HSV-1(17syn+) strain to determine vaccine protection against severe pathology. In the second study, control rabbits experienced significant disease and in some cases encephalitis and death. The vaccinated group did not experience obvious ocular disease or viral shedding. VC2 had completely protected rabbits from keratitis and encephalitis. Our next step will involve testing HSV-1(VC2) for therapeutic applications, producing HSV-1 latency in rabbits and testing to determine whether the VC2 vaccine can prevent virus shedding and producing clinical signs in a latent infection.

Date

7-7-2026

Committee Chair

Kousoulas, Konstantin G.

LSU Acknowledgement

1

LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment

1

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Available for download on Saturday, July 17, 2027

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