Fig. 7. Early control of virus replication is associated with presence of anti-NP antibodies rather than innate or cellular immune responses.

a Cytokine/chemokine responses in mice vaccinated with CCHF VRP 28, 14, or 7 days prior to challenge or left unvaccinated (no VRP, given DMEM alone) and euthanized 3 or 6 days post infection (dpi) were analyzed using the ProcartaPlex Mouse Th1/Th2 Cytokine and Chemokine panel and 25 µL mouse plasma. b CCHFV-specific T-cell responses were evaluated using IFN-gamma ELISpot assay. Peptides covering the CCHFV IbAr10200 NP or Oman-98 GPC NSm-Gc domain (numbers represent aa positions) were used to stimulate splenocytes harvested from vaccinated animals. Data are reported as the number of spot-forming cells (SPC)/1 × 10⁶ cells. c CCHFV-specific NP, Gn, Gc, and GP38 antibody responses (IgM and IgG) were evaluated via ELISA using mouse plasma and reported as endpoint dilution titers. Antibody titers, T-cell responses, and cytokine/chemokine levels were compared statistically between vaccine groups by timepoint (3 or 6 dpi) using multiple two-tailed t-tests (Mann-Whitney) and only statistically significant results are reported; *p < 0.5, **p < 0.01. Individual animals are represented. Bars and error bars indicate mean ± SEM.