A Vaccine to Prevent Egg Layer Peritonitis in Chickens.

A series of studies was undertaken in specific-pathogen-free white leghorn chickens for the development of a chicken model of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) peritonitis. Once established, this model was then used to measure the effectiveness of a siderophore receptor and porin proteins (SRP®) APEC vaccine. Initially, five pilot studies were performed to compare the E. coli serotype, challenge route, and dose of inoculum that resulted in pathologies characteristic of the peritonitis observed in commercial layer facilities, such as widespread organ infection, atrophy, discoloration, corrugation of yolk sacs, and the presence of caseous exudate. Isolates of serotypes O1, O2, and O78 were tested by intravenous, intravaginal, intratracheal, and intraperitoneal routes and were compared at various levels of challenge inoculum. Daily observations of mortality and morbidity were made, and at necropsy, gross lesion scores were collected and bacterial colonization of internal organs determined. Outcomes varied from a complete lack of mortality or detectable pathology and low, or no, organ colonization in the case of intravaginal and intratracheal routes with each E. coli serotype to moderate to high levels of mortality, pathology, and colonization after challenge via the intravenous and intraperitoneal routes with O2 and O78 serotypes, respectively. The O78 serotype was found to result in pathologies consistent with field observations of peritonitis, and therefore, subsequent studies were performed only with O78. In addition to the relative failure with both the intratracheal and intravaginal routes of challenge, the intravenous route was found to be inconsistent and often resulted in lameness not observed with the intraperitoneal route. A final pilot study confirmed that the dose (∼ 8 log 10 CFU) administered by the intraperitoneal route replicated peritonitis, and therefore, all vaccination/challenge studies were conducted in this manner. Five vaccination/challenge studies are reported here in which variables of chicken age, vaccination interval, and vaccination to challenge interval were examined. In all studies, vaccine effectiveness was dramatic and was shown to completely protect against mortality and substantially against tissue colonization and pathology typical of APEC infections. The vaccine elicited a rapid onset of immunity with both narrow and broad vaccination intervals and in both young and mature chickens. Additionally, the vaccine was demonstrated to sustain robust effectiveness against mortality over 3 months. The SRP APEC vaccine should provide effective protection of young and mature chickens from E. coli under broadly flexible conditions of use in commercial operations.

Artíclo regular­Vacuna para prevenir la peritonitis de gallina de postura. Se llevó a cabo una serie de estudios en aves tipo Leghorn blancas libres de patógenos específicos para el desarrollo de un modelo en pollo para la peritonitis causada por Escherichia coli patógena aviar (APEC). Una vez establecido, este modelo se utilizó para medir la eficacia de una vacuna con proteínas del receptor de sideróforo y de porina (SRP®) de E. coli patógena aviar. Inicialmente, se realizaron cinco estudios piloto para comparar el serotipo de E. coli, la ruta de desafío y la dosis de inóculo que resultaron en patologías características de las peritonitis observadas en instalaciones comerciales de ponedoras, como la infección generalizada de órganos, atrofia, decoloración, ondulación de saco vitelino y la presencia de exudado caseoso. Los aislamientos de los serotipos O1, O2 y O78 se analizaron por vías intravenosa, intravaginal, intratraqueal e intraperitoneal y se compararon a varios niveles de inóculo de desafío. Se realizaron observaciones diarias de mortalidad y morbilidad, en la necropsia, se registraron puntuaciones de lesiones macroscópicas y se determinó la colonización bacteriana de los órganos internos. Los resultados variaron desde una ausencia total de mortalidad o patología detectable y una colonización de órganos baja o nula en el caso de las rutas intravaginal e intratraqueal con cada serotipo de E. coli hasta niveles de mortalidad, patología y colonización de moderados a altos después del desafío por vía intravenosa e intraperitoneal con los serotipos O2 y O78, respectivamente. Se encontró que el serotipo O78 dio como resultado patologías consistentes con las observaciones de campo de la peritonitis y por lo tanto, los estudios posteriores se realizaron solo con el serotipo O78. Además del fracaso relativo con las rutas de desafío intratraqueal e intravaginal, se descubrió que la vía intravenosa era inconsistente y a menudo, provocaba cojera que no se observaba con la vía intraperitoneal. Un estudio piloto final confirmó que la dosis (∼8 log10 UFC) administrada por vía intraperitoneal reproducía la peritonitis y por lo tanto, todos los estudios de vacunación/desafío se realizaron de esta manera. En este estudio se reportan cinco estudios de vacunación/desafío en los que se examinaron las variables de edad del pollo, intervalo de vacunación e intervalo de vacunación al desafío. En todos los estudios, la eficacia de la vacuna fue muy evidente y se demostró que protege completamente contra la mortalidad y sustancialmente contra la colonización de tejidos y la patología típica de las infecciones por E. coli patógena aviar. La vacuna provocó un rápido inicio de la inmunidad con intervalos de vacunación tanto estrechos como amplios y tanto en aves jóvenes como maduras. Además, se demostró que la vacuna mantiene una sólida eficacia contra la mortalidad durante tres meses. La vacuna con proteínas del receptor de sideróforo y de porina de E. coli patógena aviar debería proporcionar una protección eficaz de las aves jóvenes y maduras contra E. coli en condiciones de uso ampliamente flexibles en operaciones comerciales.

Protective immunity to Salmonella enterica is partially serogroup specific.

Pre-harvest reduction of Salmonella carriage by swine would benefit both animal health and food quality. While vaccination is an attractive pre-harvest intervention to reduce Salmonella levels in swine, the large number of potential Salmonella enterica serovars found in swine makes it critical that vaccines provide broad serotype efficacy. In order to directly compare the relative efficacy of Salmonella vaccines against serogroup-matched and serogroup-unmatched Salmonella, we vaccinated pigs with two commercially available Salmonella vaccines (either serogroup B or serogroup C1) and challenged with serovar-matched, serogroup-matched or serogroup-unmatched challenge strains. We found that while serogroup-matched vaccines provided relatively better efficacy than unmatched vaccines, serotype-unmatched vaccines also provided significant reduction of Salmonella carriage and shed. In addition, by measuring serogroup specific cell mediated (IFN-γ ELISPOT) and humoral (anti-LPS ELISA) immunity, we found that this serogroup specific efficacy correlates primarily with humoral immunity, while cell mediated immunity was mostly non-serogroup specific. While the practical relevance to pork quality of this serogroup-specific efficacy remains to be demonstrated, the large predominance of serogroup B Salmonella in swine suggests that a serogroup B Salmonella vaccine for swine would be of value to pre-harvest food safety interventions in swine.

Evaluation of a monovalent companion animal periodontal disease vaccine in an experimental mouse periodontitis model.

Periodontal disease in companion animals is clinically similar to that of human periodontal disease. Despite the usage of veterinary procedures and antibiotic therapy, the disease still remains as one of the most highly prevalent disorders seen by veterinarians. The goal of this study was to evaluate the immunogenic properties and vaccine performance of a monovalent canine periodontal disease vaccine in the mouse oral challenge model of periodontitis. Mice vaccinated subcutaneously with inactivated, whole-cell bacterin preparations of Porphyromonas gulae displayed both high titers of anti-P. gulae specific antibodies and significantly reduced alveolar bone loss in response to homologous, heterologous, and cross-species challenge. Based on the results of these studies, a periodontal disease vaccine may be a useful tool in preventing the progression of periodontitis in animals.