BCG vaccination confers poor protection against M. tuberculosis HN878-induced central nervous system disease.
Using a rabbit model of tuberculous meningitis (TBM), we compared the protective efficacy of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination against central nervous system infection with the virulent M. tuberculosis clinical isolate HN878 and the laboratory strain H37Rv. Although BCG clearly provided protection against infection with either challenge strain, protection against disease manifestations was significantly poorer in rabbits infected with HN878. BCG was less efficient in protecting against HN878 dissemination to the liver and spleen and against HN878-induced inflammation, loss of body weight, lung and brain pathology, and signs of disease. We suggest that the efficacy of newly developed vaccines should be tested in animal models not only against challenge with M. tuberculosis H37Rv but also with different clinical isolates including the highly virulent strains of the W-Beijing family.
Tsenova
Liana
L
Laboratory of Mycobacterial Immunity and Pathogenesis, The Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. tsenova@phri.org
Harbacheuski
Ryhor
R
Sung
Nackmoon
N
Ellison
Evette
E
Fallows
Dorothy
D
Kaplan
Gilla
G
D000818:Animals; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008578:Meninges / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011817:Rabbits; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014774:Virulence
D001500:BCG Vaccine