Embodiments of the present invention generally disclose methods, compositions and uses for generating and expressing enterobacterial-associated peptides. In some embodiments, enterobacterial-associated peptides include, but are not limited to plague-associated peptides. In certain embodiments, methods generally relate to making and using compositions of constructs including, but not limited to, attenuated or modified vaccinia virus vectors expressing enterobacterial-associated peptides. In other embodiments, vaccine compositions are reported of use in a subject.