Immunization of mice and calves against Salmonella dublin with attenuated live and inactivated vaccines

Abstract

Previous findings, viz. that mice can be successfully immunized against infection with Salmonella dublin with either live or inactivated vaccine, were confirmed. Immunity lasted for at least 12 weeks in mice which had been immunized with inactivated alum-precipitated vaccine. The immunogenicity of inactivated vaccine gradually decreased on storage at 4ºC, but this was only detectable if a single injection was used for immunization: 2 injections virtually eliminated this phenomenon. The immunogenicity of live vaccine in mice was not enhanced by levamizole or the simultaneous injection of inactivated organisms. Both live and inactivated vaccines provided immunity in calves. A single injection of lyophilized vaccine, prepared from live rough Salmonella dublin strain (HB 1/17), protected 3 out of 6 calves, while 2 injections of a formalin-inactivated, alum-precipitated vaccine, containing 1% packed cells of S. Dublin strain 2652 V, protected 5 out of 6 calves against intraduodenal challenge with 2 x 10⁹ S. Dublin strain 2652 V. Two calves which had been immunized with an inactivated oil adjuvant vaccine were also solidly immune to this challenge. Serum antibody response in calves was poor when measured by the tube agglutination and the haemagglutination tests. Similarly, the sera had only marginal protective values when tested by means of a passive protection test in mice. Antibody titres alone are not a valid measure, therefore, for the immune status of immunized animals.