Introduction: The live-attenuated recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vaccine expressing the glycoprotein (GP) of Zaire Ebola virus (rVSV-ZEBOV) has proven immunogenic in humans and effective in field studies. Yet long-term durability of vaccine responses is unknown.
Areas covered: We survey the evidence available in the literature for the durability of human responses to rVSV-ZEBOV. We also review determinants of initial responses and of their persistence.
Expert commentary: Persistence of EBOV-GP-specific antibody responses is strong at 2 years - currently the longest post-vaccination interval studied - after a single injection. Vaccine dose predicts persistence of seropositivity, though the magnitude of antibody responses at later time points becomes less dose-dependent. Vaccine-related arthritis is a significant predictor of both persistence and magnitude of the antibody response.
Keywords: Ebola vaccine; Ebola virus disease; durability; immune response; persistence; rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine; seropositivity.