Development of an Attenuated Apathogenic Reovirus Vaccine against Viral Arthritis/Tenosynovitis

A fully attenuated apathogenic reovirus vaccine was developed by 235 serial passages of S1133 strain avian reovirus in embryonating chicken eggs and 100 additional passages in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cultures, 65 of which were cultured at 32 C. Chickens with and without maternal antibodies to avian reovirus were vaccinated subcutaneously at 1 day of age and challenged via footpad at 14 days of age. It appeared that the 40th, 66th, and 100th CEF passage levels were apathogenic at doses ranging from 10(2.5) to 10(6.8) TCID50/chick. No gross or microscopic lesions of tenosynovitis developed in vaccinated chicks. Vaccinated chicks were protected against challenge; unvaccinated control chickens were not.