Pilot immunization of mice infected with an equine strain of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Gorman, J.K.; Gabriel, M.; MacLachlan, N.J.; Nieto, N.; Foley, J.; Spier, S.
Veterinary Therapeutics Research in Applied Veterinary Medicine 11(1): E1-E8
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1528-3593 PMID: 20949428 Document Number: 645294
This pilot study evaluated protection of an equine autogenous bacterin-toxoid vaccine against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection. Twenty-four BALB/c mice were inoculated with two doses of bacterin-toxoid vaccine or two injections of a placebo. Clinical, microbiologic, and pathologic outcomes were assessed after intradermal infection with one of two equine-origin C. pseudotuberculosis strains. Mice receiving bacterin-toxoid from fast-growing C. pseudotuberculosis showed significant protection from challenge infection, as evidenced by a higher survival rate, fewer gross and histopathologic lesions, and lower bacterial levels on culture. Successful protection via a vaccine against equine internal abscesses might provide supplementary management options against an important, potentially fatal disease.