| abstract |
The present invention provides means for the development of diagnostic assays and pharmaceutical compositions to identify, treat or prevent infections caused by JEV or TBEV. More particularly, the invention relates to T cell epitopes, fragments or variants thereof, complexes comprising said T cell epitopes and at least one additional compound, nucleic acids encoding said T cell epitopes, and T cells specifically recognizing said T cell epitopes, which can be used for said diagnostic assays and pharmaceutical compositions. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said T cell epitope, complex, nucleic acid, and/or T cell for the treatment or prevention of an infection with JEV and/or TBEV. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for immunizing an animal or human against an infection with JEV and/or TBEV, and methods for stimulating an immune response in an animal or human against an infection with JEV and/or TBEV. In yet other aspects, the invention provide methods for diagnosing an infection with JEV and/or TBEV and methods for monitoring the immune response of a subject to a JEV vaccine or a TBEV vaccine. |