ABSTRACT
An alum-precipitated Staphylococcus aureus vaccine, composed of a formalin-inactivated whole culture of a strain which produces Smith surface antigen and combined with the whole culture of a highly toxigenic strain, was found to afford a good immunity to staphylococcal skin infection in rabbits. Three injections of the vaccine provided immunity which lasted for at least 6 months against a primarily pyogenic strain of S. aureus and for at least 3 months against a toxigenic strain. From experiments using vaccines prepared from cells or toxoid only, it was deduced that, although there is a measure of strain specific immunity, a good heterologous immunity can be established with a combined product provided that it contains adequate quantities of toxoid. The use of such a vaccine as a potential aid in the control of bovine staphylococcal mastitis is discussed.
Subject(s)
Staphylococcal Vaccines/immunology , Staphylococcus aureus/immunology , Adjuvants, Immunologic , Animals , Antibody Formation , Immunization Schedule , Immunoassay/methods , Rabbits , Species Specificity , Staphylococcal Vaccines/isolation & purification , Time Factors , Toxoids/immunologyABSTRACT
A procedure is described for producing a high quality C. pyogenes vaccine. A satisfactory antibody response was obtained by administering 3 subcutaneous injections of vaccine at 10-day intervals, using doses of 2,0 ml for rabbits, 5,0 ml for sheep and 10,0 ml for cattle. The titres resulting from this procedure compared favourably with those obtained from following the more intensive schedule and higher doses of vaccine recommended by the British Veterinary Codex. The antibody response was at its best 1-2 months after immunization but dropped to a plateau 6 months after immunization. Mice were also successfully immunized against challenge with 1,5x108 organisms by the application of 3 doses of vaccine administered at 10-day intervals.
