Efficacy of vaccination with a Klebsiella pneumoniae siderophore receptor protein vaccine for reduction of Klebsiella mastitis in lactating cattle.

Clinical mastitis caused by Klebsiella spp. is an emerging problem in the US dairy industry and results in a high degree of financial losses to dairy workers. This study was conducted as a randomized, blinded, and placebo-controlled efficacy study of a Klebsiella pneumoniae siderophore receptor protein (SRP) vaccine (Kleb-SRP), with a total of 569 cows and heifers enrolled. The study was designed to look at vaccine effect on Klebsiella mastitis; however, the SRP in Klebsiella are highly conserved across coliform bacteria, which means that the vaccine has potential for cross-protection against all coliforms. Cows were paired based on parity, days in milk at enrollment, and somatic cell count. Within pairs, individuals were randomized to receive either Kleb-SRP or a placebo formulation. Following vaccination, the incidence of Klebsiella spp. and total coliform mastitis from natural exposure were compared to determine the efficacy of the vaccine. When analyzing all cows, the reduction of mastitis risk was not significant, though milk production increased 0.31 kg/d and somatic cell counts were reduced by 20.1%. When administered before calving, the vaccine reduced the risk of Klebsiella and total coliform mastitis by 76.9 and 47.5% respectively; however, we observed no significant effect when administered after calving. The vaccine, when administered before calving, also increased milk production by an average of 1.74 kg/d and reduced somatic cell counts by 64.8%. When administered after calving, we noted a slight decrease in daily milk production (0.39 kg) but no significant effect on somatic cell counts. All cows in the study (including vaccinates and placebo) received multiple doses of a commercially available licensed Escherichia coli bacterin. It should be noted that this herd was chosen because of the high number of clinical Klebsiella clinical mastitis cases this herd experienced before the trial and the extreme environmental challenge that was present from bedding with dried manure solids. The data from this study demonstrate efficacy of the Kleb-SRP vaccine against Klebsiella mastitis alone and coliform mastitis in general (including all coliforms) when administered before the initiation of a lactation cycle.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 shedding in vaccinated beef calves born to cows vaccinated prepartum with Escherichia coli O157:H7 SRP vaccine.

Extensive research, intervention equipment, money, and media coverage have been directed at controlling Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef cattle. However, much of the focus has been on controlling this pathogen postcolonization. This study was conducted to examine the performance, health, and shedding characteristics of beef calves that were vaccinated with an E. coli O157:H7 SRP bacterial extract. These calves had been born to cows vaccinated prepartum with the same vaccine. Cows and calves were assigned randomly to one of four treatments: (i) neither cows nor calves vaccinated with E. coli O157:H7 SRP (CON), (ii) cows vaccinated with E. coli O157:H7 SRP prepartum but calves not vaccinated (COWVAC), (iii) calves vaccinated with E. coli O157:H7 SRP but born to cows not vaccinated (CALFVAC), (iv) cows vaccinated with E. coli O157:H7 SRP prepartum and calves also vaccinated (BOTH). Calves born to vaccinated cows had significantly higher titers of anti-E. coli O157:H7 SRP antibodies (SRPAb) in circulation at branding time (P < 0.001). Upon entry to the feedlot, overall fecal E. coli O157:H7 prevalence was 23 % among calves, with 25 % in the CON treatment group, 19 % in the CALFVAC group, 32 % in the COWVAC group, and 15 % in the BOTH group (P > 0.05). Fecal shedding of E. coli O157 on arrival to the feedlot was not correlated with fecal shedding at slaughter (Spearman's rho = -0.02; P = 0.91). No significant effects of cow or calf E. coli O157:H7 SRP vaccination treatment were found on feedlot calf health or performance (P > 0.05), prevalence of lung lesions or liver abscess (P > 0.05), or morbidity, retreatment, or mortality numbers (P > 0.05). The findings of this study indicate that the timing of vaccination of calves against E. coli O157:H7 may be an important consideration for maximizing the field efficacy of this vaccine.

Effects of a siderophore receptor and porin proteins-based vaccination on fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in experimentally inoculated cattle.

The efficacy of a vaccine containing outer membrane siderophore receptor and porin (SRP) proteins for reducing fecal prevalence and shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was evaluated in cattle inoculated with E. coli O157:H7. Thirty calves were randomly assigned to one of two groups, and on days 1 and 21 these calves were given subcutaneous injections of either a placebo (control) or the vaccine. Blood was collected weekly to monitor the serum anti-SRP antibody titers. Two weeks after the second vaccination, calves were orally inoculated with a mixture of five strains of nalidixic acid-resistant (NalR) E. coli O157:H7. Fecal samples and rectoanal mucosal swabs were collected daily for the first 5 days and then three times each week for the following 4 weeks to determine the presence and enumerate the fecal concentration of NalR E. coli O157:H7. At necropsy on day 35, gut contents and tissue swabs were collected to determine the presence and concentration of NalR E. coli O157:H7. Vaccinated cattle had significantly higher anti-SRP antibody titers than did control cattle, with a significant treatment x week interaction (P < 0.01). Vaccination of cattle with the SRP protein tended to decrease fecal concentration (1.9 versus 1.6 log CFU/g) of NalR E. coli O157:H7 (P = 0.10). The number of calves that were fecal culture positive for E. coli O157:H7 was lower (P = 0.05) in the vaccinated group than in the control group. The E. coli O157:H7 SRP vaccine tended to reduce fecal prevalence and concentration of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle orally inoculated with NalR E. coli 0157:H7 and may be a useful prehavest intervention strategy. Future research must be conducted on natural prevalence in feedlot operations to further evaluate the efficacy of this novel vaccine.