Evaluation of a commercially available vaccine against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis for use in sheep.

摘要

Mixed-breed sheep seronegative for C. pseudotuberculosis were randomly assigned to vaccination (n=20) or control (n=11) groups. Two serials (A and B) of a commercially available bacterin-toxoid vaccine (Caseous D-T) were used. Sheep in the vaccination group received 2 doses of serial A or serial B vaccine at 4-week intervals. Antibody responses were measured by use of ELISA tests. All sheep were challenge inoculated with virulent C. pseudotuberculosis 32 weeks after the second vaccination. 20 weeksafter challenge inoculation, all sheep were examined for external and internal abscesses secondary to C. pseudotuberculosis infection. Vaccinated sheep developed an antibody response to both components of the vaccine. After challenge inoculation, vaccinated sheep had significantly less external, internal, and total abscesses than control sheep. It is concluded that vaccination of sheep with a commercially available bacterin-toxoid against C. pseudotuberculosis could substantially decrease the prevalence and number of abscesses that form secondary to C. pseudotuberculosis infection.