FUSION PROTEIN COMPRISING CIRCOVIRIDAE CAPSID PROTEIN, AND CHIMERIC VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES COMPOSED THEREOF

The present invention relates to recombinantly constructed polypeptides useful for preparing vaccines, in particular for reducing one or more clinical signs caused by an infection with at least one pathogen, such as clinical signs caused by a viral infection. More particular, the present invention is directed to a polypeptide comprising a Circoviridae capsid protein linked to a heterologous protein or fragment thereof, and to chimeric virus-like particles composed of such polypeptides. In one example, a fusion protein is provided which comprises PCV2 ORF2 protein linked to an immunogenic fragment of rotavirus VP8 protein, and which is usable for reducing one or more clinical signs, mortality or fecal shedding caused by a rotavirus infection in swine.