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D.G., A.P. the MVA vaccine in alpacas. The MVA vaccine was well tolerated and safe in the 94 animals vaccinated. An indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using MVA as an antigen showed that this seroprevalence of antibody after booster vaccination was 81.3% in herd I and 91.7% in herd II. Detectable antibody titres declined to 15.6% in herd I and 45.8% in herd II over a 12-month period after booster vaccination. Animals could be divided into four groups based on individual antibody titres decided over one year: Group 1 consisted of 19.3% of animals that were seropositive until the end of the trial period; Group 2 consisted of 58.0% of animals that were seropositive after booster vaccination, but seronegative one year later; Group 3 consisted of 14.7% of animals that were not seropositive at any time point; and Group 4 consisted of 7.9% of animals that were seropositive after initial immunisation, seronegative six months later, but seropositive or intermediate in IFA one year after immunisation, likely because of natural exposure. In new-born crias given birth to to MVA-vaccinated mares, specific maternal antibodies were detected in 50.0% of animals up to 14 weeks of age. Our results confirm that MVA vaccination is usually a feasible tool for the prevention of CPXV disease in alpacas. Long-term studies are needed to verify future vaccination regimen in CPXV affected herds. Keywords:alpaca, South American camelids, cowpox, prevention, vaccination, MVA == 1. Introduction == Cowpox is usually a disease caused by the cowpox computer virus (CPXV), a member of the genus Orthopoxvirus (OPV), family Poxviridae [1]. Being endemic in Eurasia, a number of animal species have been shown to be naturally susceptible to CPXV [1]. In addition, certain nonnative animal species, kept in zoos or other animal holdings, are also susceptible to CPXV infections. CC-401 Examples include African rhinoceroses and elephants [2,3,4,5,6] as well as jaguarundis, giant anteaters, ocelots, Patagonian cavies and New World monkeys [7,8,9,10,11]. CPXV contamination in South American camelids (SACs) was first explained in 1997 [12], and since then, only a few reports of CPXV contamination in SACs have been published [13,14,15,16,17]. CPXV infections in SACs occur CC-401 sporadically. Reservoir hosts (i.e., blood circulation of the pathogen within a populace) of CPXV are likely wild rodents (lender voles, common voles and striped field mice) and computer virus transmission through indirect contact is probably the most common route of transmission. Contamination of SACs with CPXV prospects to two different disease presentations: SEL10 moderate, mostly self-limiting infections with localised skin lesions (pustules and crusts), and generalised, frequently lethal infections with multifocal to diffuse skin lesions (papules, pustules, crusts, ulcers) accompanied by computer virus replication in other organs. Although llamas and alpacas are an established species of livestock and domestic pets in Europe, there are currently no data around the incidence of CPXV contamination in SACs. Research on antiviral brokers, such as cidofovir, brincidofovir (CMX001) and tecovirimat (ST-246), for the treatment of OPV infections is usually ongoing [18,19,20,21,22]. However, to the authors knowledge, there is currently no approved treatment for CPXV contamination in animals. Thus, prevention via prophylactic vaccination is the only feasible approach to manage CPXV diseases, especially in useful and highly susceptible animals (e.g., elephants and other zoo animals). It is well established that each species of the genus OPV induces cross-reactive antibodies, which provide immunoprotection against contamination with other species of OPV [1]. Therefore, prophylactic vaccination remains an important tool in the prevention of diseases caused by orthopoxviruses. One of the best examples is the World Health Businesses global campaign to eradicate human smallpox, which is usually caused by variola computer virus, using the vaccinia computer virus vaccine. Different vaccine strains of vaccinia computer virus were available for this campaign [23]; the strain Elstree was used in Germany [24]. At the CC-401 end of this campaign CC-401 (19721980), another computer virus strain called altered vaccinia computer virus Ankara (MVA) was licensed in Germany as part of the standard smallpox vaccination program for humans [25]. MVA is usually a highly attenuated strain originating from a virulent vaccinia computer virus strain called chorioallantois vaccinia computer virus Ankara..