Immunization with Brucella melitensis Rev 1 against Brucella ovis infection of rams

The efficacy of Brucella Melitensis Rev 1 vaccine (Rev 1) for the prophylaxis of Brucella ovis ram epididymitis was evaluated. Twenty-nine 3-month-old rams were vaccinated with 2 X 10(9) Rev 1 and 14 were revaccinated with 5 X 10(8) at 14 months of age. Six rams remained unvaccinated as a control group. All rams were challenged with 5 X 10(8) B. ovis at 21 months of age. Before being slaughtered 8 weeks later, only one vaccinated ram developed epididymitis while four of the six control rams developed testicular alterations. Genital and selected extragenital organs and lymph nodes were removed at slaughter and inoculated on selective media. B. ovis was isolated from 26.6% of the vaccinated rams, 21.4% of the revaccinated rams and 100% of control rams. Portions of epididymis, testes and vesicular glands were also used for pathological studies. More severe lesions were observed in control rams than in vaccinated ones. In conclusion, these results show that vaccination of young lambs, followed or not by revaccination, is a suitable method for the prophylaxis of B. ovis infection of rams.     

动物布鲁氏菌Rev.1疫苗研究进展

布鲁氏菌病（布病）是由布鲁氏菌引起的一种重要的人畜共患病,对公共卫生有着巨大的威胁。布鲁氏菌Rev.1疫苗研制于上世纪50年代中期,并在欧洲、中东和蒙古等地区被广泛应用于小反刍动物布病的防控,一度被认为是防控小反刍动物布病最为有效的疫苗。但是,由于Rev.1疫苗存在毒力偏强及毒力不稳定等现象,其安全性仍值得关注。本文主要从Rev.1疫苗背景及其菌株的生物学特性、疫苗使用情况以及存在的不足等几个方面进行阐述,以期为Rev.1疫苗的应用和布鲁氏菌相关疫苗的开发提供借鉴。     

The characteristics of a variant strain of Brucella melitensis Rev 1

Circumstantial evidence is presented for the occurrence of a variant of a vaccine strain of B. melitensis Rev 1, designated "FSA" (foreign South African). FSA resembles Rev 1 in its reactions to penicillin and streptomycin but reacts closer to a field strain of B. melitensis as regards dye (thionine and basic fuchsin) sensitivity and colony size. Although colonies of Rev 1 were consistently smaller than other B. melitensis strains, their size was 0,75 mm as opposed to the 1-2 mm reported in the literature, while B. melitensis 16M colonies were 1,25-1,5 mm as opposed to the 3-4 mm previously reported. Rev 1 was found to be urease positive, unless a test of low sensitivity was applied.     

Control of small ruminant brucellosis by use of Brucella melitensis Rev.1 vaccine: laboratory aspects and field observations

Brucellosis vaccines are essential elements in control programs. Since first developed in the mid-1950s, the Brucella melitensis vaccine strain Rev.1 has been used worldwide and its significant value in protecting sheep and goats in endemic areas recognized. This review provides historical background on the development of the vaccine, its use and field complications arising in Israel following changes in the strain’s pathogenicity. The urgent need for resolving cases of vaccine strain excretion in the milk, horizontal transfer and a unique case of human infection has led to identification of an atypical B. melitensis biovar 1 strain that resembles strain Rev.1 in susceptibility to penicillin and dyes. An omp2 based PCR method has been developed that traced the lineage of Israeli B. melitensis biovar 1 strains. This locus serves as an epidemiological tag for the Rev.1 vaccine strain. Despite the rapid development of new approaches in the field of vaccination, it is anticipated that in the near future the Rev.1 vaccine would remain the only accepted vaccine in national control programs.     

Immunogenicity of Major Cell Surface Protein(s) of Brucella melitensis Rev 1

Brucella melitensis Rev 1 organisms were salt-extracted and the cell surface proteins (BCSPs) were found to be mainly 39-42 kDa (group 2 porin proteins) in addition to 31.6, 32.5, 58.5 and 14.7 kDa proteins. DEAE-Sephadex anion-exchange column chromatography of BCSPs yielded fraction 1, which contained one major protein (39.8-42.0 kDa) and a minor protein (31.6 kDa). All these proteins were found to be immunogenic by Western blotting. Fraction 1 along with monophosphoryl lipid A and trehalose dicorynomycolate adjuvants as well as BCSPs alone induced significant (p < or = 0.05) protection in BALB/c mice. Both these immunizing agents produced almost equivalent protection to live B. melitensis Rev 1 vaccine at 15 and 30 days post challenge. Lymphocyte stimulation test as well as delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction revealed that both these preparations induced cell-mediated immune response. These preparations also induced humoral immune response as indicated by indirect ELISA. Neither of the immune responses was significantly less (p < or = 0.05) than that with live B. melitensis Rev 1 vaccine, except that their duration was short.     

羊种布鲁氏菌疫苗株PCR-RFLP鉴定方法的建立

为建立一种羊种布鲁氏菌Rev.1疫苗株PCR-RFLP鉴定方法,利用羊种布鲁氏菌Rev.1具有链霉素抗性的特性,选取与链霉素抗性相关编码核糖体蛋白S12的rps L基因为模板设计引物,经PCR扩增后,将产物进行Nci I酶切,发现羊种布鲁氏菌疫苗株Rev.1出现约500 bp条带,而不具有链霉素抗性的羊种布鲁氏菌株16M则出现384 bp条带。结果表明,PCR-RFLP方法能够用于羊种布鲁氏菌Rev.1疫苗株的鉴定,这为今后区分羊种布鲁氏菌疫苗株Rev.1免疫与野株感染提供了基础。     

羊种布鲁氏菌Rev.1突变株在BALB/c鼠中的免疫保护评价

为评价Rev.1-ΔKan-Vir B12突变株在BALB/c鼠中的免疫保护力,以Rev.1为参照,用Rev.1-ΔKanVir B12接种BALB/c小鼠,免疫45 d后用布鲁氏菌16M强毒株攻毒,15 d后取BALB/c鼠脾脏进行克脾指数测定和病理组织学检测。结果显示:BALB/c鼠免疫攻毒15 d后,Rev.1-ΔKan-Vir B12免疫组和Rev.1免疫组的克脾指数与对照组之间有显著性差异(P0.05),而Rev.1免疫组与Rev.1-ΔKan-Vir B12免疫组之间的克脾指数差异不显著(P0.05)。结果表明,羊布鲁氏菌Rev.1-ΔKan-Vir B12突变株与其亲本Rev.1株的免疫保护性无明显差异,具备作为布鲁氏菌病标记疫苗的潜力。     

Molecular typing of Brucella melitensis endemic strains and differentiation from the vaccine strain Rev-1

In the present study forty-four Greek endemic strains of Br. melitensis and three reference strains were genotyped by Multi locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat (ML-VNTR) analysis based on an eight-base pair tandem repeat sequence that was revealed in eight loci of Br. melitensis genome. The forty-four strains were discriminated from the vaccine strain Rev-1 by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and Denaturant Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE). The ML-VNTR analysis revealed that endemic, reference and vaccine strains are genetically closely related, while most of the loci tested (1, 2, 4, 5 and 7) are highly polymorphic with Hunter-Gaston Genetic Diversity Index (HGDI) values in the range of 0.939 to 0.775. Analysis of ML-VNTRs loci stability through in vitro passages proved that loci 1 and 5 are non stable. Therefore, vaccine strain can be discriminated from endemic strains by allele’s clusters of loci 2, 4, 6 and 7. RFLP and DGGE were also employed to analyse omp2 gene and reveled different patterns among Rev-1 and endemic strains. In RFLP, Rev-1 revealed three fragments (282, 238 and 44 bp), while endemic strains two fragments (238 and 44 bp). As for DGGE, the electrophoretic mobility of Rev-1 is different from the endemic strains due to heterologous binding of DNA chains of omp2a and omp2b gene. Overall, our data show clearly that it is feasible to genotype endemic strains of Br. melitensis and differentiate them from vaccine strain Rev-1 with ML-VNTR, RFLP and DGGE techniques. These tools can be used for conventional investigations in brucellosis outbreaks.     

Protection against Brucellosis in Goats,Five Years after Vaccination with Reduced-Dose Brucella melitensis Rev 1 Vaccine

The protection conferred by the reduced-dose Rev 1 Brucella melitensis vaccine in goats that had been immunized 5 years previously was evaluated. Sixteen goats vaccinated 5 years before with Rev 1 (1 x 10(5) cfu) and 5 non-vaccinated goats were challenged with B. melitensis 16M (4 x 10(5) cfu) using the conjunctival route. After giving birth or aborting, the goats were sacrificed and tissue samples were taken for bacteriological study. The challenge strain was recovered in 12%, of the animals from the vaccinated group, and in (80% of the control group. It is concluded, therefore that the use of reduced-dose Rev 1 protects goats vaccinated in endemic areas for at least 5 years after immunization.     

粗糙型布鲁菌M111菌壳的制备

将含有裂解酶基因重组温控裂解质粒pBBR1MCS：：PR-PL-E电转化至粗糙型布鲁菌M111中,构建重组布鲁菌M111（pBBRlMCS：：PR-PL-E）。重组菌株在28℃培养,42℃诱导表达裂解酶E,从而制备布鲁菌菌壳。绘制布鲁菌生长曲线及裂解曲线,计算裂解率并用透射电镜观察布鲁菌菌壳的形态。结果显示,成功制备了布鲁菌菌壳,温控裂解质粒pBBRIMCS：：PR-PL-E对布鲁菌的裂解率为100％。透射电镜观察可见细菌内容物部分流出,细菌表面出现不同程度的皱缩,细胞形态发生变化。结果表明,本试验成功制备了粗糙型布鲁菌菌壳,初步研究了其基本特性,为下-步开展布鲁菌菌壳疫苗的研究奠定了基础。     

The isolation and serology of the "FSA" Brucella melitensis Rev. 1 mutant in a flock of sheep

A flock of sheep, known to be infected with the "FSA" mutant of Brucella melitensis Rev. 1, was examined serologically and bacteriologically to determine whether any relationship existed which would help in the control of this infection in the field. An attempt was also made to determine whether vertical transmission occurred. Twenty-one out of 62 sheep were bacteriologically positive. The best organs for isolation were the udder, supramammary lymphnodes and uterus. No significant relationship could be shown between the complement fixation test and bacterial isolation. The absence of any relationship between serological and bacteriological results agrees with a short-lived infection. None of the 24 lambs sacrificed at 5 months showed either serological reactions or were bacteriologically positive, thus no vertical transmission could be shown.     

粗糙型布鲁菌M111菌壳的制备

将含有裂解酶基因重组温控裂解质粒pBBR1MCS∷PR-PL-E电转化至粗糙型布鲁菌M111中,构建重组布鲁菌M111(pBBR1MCS∷PR-PL-E)。重组菌株在28℃培养,42℃诱导表达裂解酶E,从而制备布鲁菌菌壳。绘制布鲁菌生长曲线及裂解曲线,计算裂解率并用透射电镜观察布鲁菌菌壳的形态。结果显示,成功制备了布鲁菌菌壳,温控裂解质粒pBBR1MCS∷PR-PL-E对布鲁菌的裂解率为100%。透射电镜观察可见细菌内容物部分流出,细菌表面出现不同程度的皱缩,细胞形态发生变化。结果表明,本试验成功制备了粗糙型布鲁菌菌壳,初步研究了其基本特性,为下一步开展布鲁菌菌壳疫苗的研究奠定了基础。