 |
 |
Immunological responses of badgers vaccinated
with BCG
Journal
Veterinary
Immunology and Immunopathology -
Vol 79, Iss 3-4 , 30 May 2001, pp197-207
Authors
A. Southey a, D. P. S. Sleeman b, K. Lloyd c, D.
Dalley c, M. A. Chambers c, R. G. Hewinson c and E. Gormley, a
a Large Animal Clinical Studies,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UCD, Dublin 4, Ireland b Department. of Zoology, University College Cork,
Cork, Ireland c Department of Bacterial Diseases,
Veterinary Laboratories, Agency Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB,
UK
Abstract
Wildlife species, such as the badger, may act as
maintenance hosts for Mycobacterium bovis and contribute to the spread
and persistence of tuberculosis in associated cattle populations. Targeted
vaccination of badgers against tuberculosis is an option that, if successfully
employed, could directly facilitate the advancement of bovine tuberculosis
eradication in affected areas. In this study, the immunological responses of a
group of badgers vaccinated subcutaneously with low doses of Mycobacterium
bovis bacillus calmette guerin (BCG) were measured in vitro and compared
with non-vaccinated control animals over a period of 42 weeks. Peripheral blood
mononuclear cells (PBMC) from badgers which had received repeated booster
injections of BCG proliferated in response to culture with PPD-bovine (purified
protein derivative of tuberculin). The proliferation was significantly greater
than that seen in the non-vaccinated control group. In contrast, the
proliferative response of PBMC from vaccinated badgers to PPD-avian declined
relative to the control group. These results demonstrate that repeated
vaccination of badgers with M. bovis BCG induced a population of
T-lymphocytes responsive to specific antigens in PPD-bovine. Throughout the
course of the study, the sera from all animals were tested (BrockTest) by an
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for the presence of antibodies
to MPB83, a serodominant antigen whose expression is high in M. bovis,
but very low in BCG (Pasteur). No animals at any stage showed seroconversion to
the antigen, consistent with the tuberculosis-free status of the badgers under
study.
Keywords
Badger; Meles meles; Mycobacterium bovis BCG; Tuberculosis; Vaccine; Immunity
Web site
Elsevier B.V. |
 |
 |