The effect of malnutrition on vaccination against Dermatophilus congolensis infection in ruminants.
Vaccination against Dermatophilus congolensis was carried out in groups of lambs raised on optimal or energy deficient diets. The groups differed significantly in weight, body condition score and plasma total protein and albumin. All animals were then challenged with D. congolensis in a dose response infection model. The vaccine was effective in the well nourished animals, reducing the number of affected lambs in the vaccinated group and the severity of the lesions and increasing the minimum dose required to cause infection. In contrast, all of the vaccinated energy-deficient lambs developed lesions. There was some evidence of vaccine effect in these animals but this was not as marked as that seen in the well nourished lambs. The malnourished lambs, vaccinated and non-vaccinated, took longer to heal than the well nourished groups. Resistance to challenge was not associated with serum antibodies or skin test reactivity to D. congolensis antigens.
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, U.K.
A B
AB
Sanders
S J
SJ
How
D H
DH
Lloyd
R
R
Hill
D000192:Actinomycetales / Q000276:immunology; D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012882:Skin Tests; D014611:Vaccination
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001798:Blood Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin