Table 1. Experimental design, immunization and challenge schedule.

Groups	Experimental design
	Immunization schedule			Mice sacrifice schedule (6 mice per group at each interval)
	Primary immunization (0 day)	First booster (21st day)	Second booster (35th day)	Challenge with EIV (42nd day)	43rd (1 dpc)−70th day (28 dpc) i.e. 1, 3, 5, 9, 14 & 28 dpc
Group A (mice, n=54) (Vaccine efficacy testing)	√	√	√	#, *	*
Group B (mice, n=54) (positive control)	X	X	X	#, *	*
Group C (mice, n=54) (Negative control)	X	X	X	Mock, *	*

√, vaccinated; X, not vaccinated; #, challenged with wild equine influenza virus (EIV); *, sacrifice of mice.