Selection of a Brucella vaccine strain of low residual virulence by chemical mutagenesis.

ABSTRACT

Following incubation of the oral vaccine Brucella suis strain 2 with diethyl sulphate (DES), a mutant designated strain S105 was selected by screening surviving bacteria for reduced virulence for mice. Strain 105 also showed low residual virulence for guinea-pigs and, unlike the parent strain, did not initiate abortion in pregnant sheep and goats after parenteral administration. Nevertheless, it was as effective as the parent strain in stimulating protective immunity to Brucella melitensis when given as an oral vaccine to sheep under both experimental and field conditions.