title: Brucella outer membrane complex-loaded microparticles as a vaccine against Brucella ovis in rams.
abstract: Due to the important drawbacks of the Brucella melitensis Rev 1 vaccine, a safer vaccine based on an outer membrane complex from Brucella ovis encapsulated in poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PEC) microparticles (MP) was developed and tested in rams. Homogeneous batches of microparticles were prepared by a new double emulsion solvent evaporation method called "Total Recirculation One-Machine System" (TROMS). Such microparticles presented a mean diameter of 2 microm and displayed an antigen loading of about 13 microg HS per mg of microparticles. Subcutaneous vaccination of rams with 800 microg HS (hot saline antigenic extract of B. ovis) in PEC microparticles induced an adequate serological response against B. ovis antigens and conferred similar protection against challenge with B. ovis to that induced by the living attenuated B. melitensis Rev 1 reference vaccine. By contrast, lower doses (80 microg) of HS-PEC evoked reduced serological responses against B. ovis antigens and did not induce significant protection. The revaccination with 800 microg of HS-PEC increased the intensity and duration of the serological response against B. ovis antigens but did not improve the protection conferred by the single vaccination. Sample sera taken from any of the animals immunized with Rev 1 were seropositive in both Rose Bengal and the Complement Fixation tests (RBT, CFT) used for the diagnosis of smooth Brucella infections. By contrast, no positive reactors in both tests were recorded in the animals vaccinated with HS-PEC, being this a target objective of this study. HS-PEC microparticles can be used as a safe vaccine against brucellosis in rams, but further studies using higher doses of antigens are necessary to exploit their full potential for the prophylaxis of brucellosis in sheep.
authors.affiliation: CITA, Unidad de Sanidad Animal, Ap 727, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Maite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Estevan
authors.forename: Clara M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jesús De Miguel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jesús Grilló
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barberán
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Irache
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gamazo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002004:Brucella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D042061:Brucella ovis / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D011091:Polyesters; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002004:Brucella Vaccine; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone