Oral vaccination of guinea pigs with a Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine in a lipid matrix protects against aerosol infection with virulent M. bovis.
Increased incidence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the United Kingdom caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis is a cause of considerable economic loss to farmers and the government. The Eurasian badger (Meles meles) represents a wildlife source of recurrent M. bovis infections of cattle in the United Kingdom, and its vaccination against TB with M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is an attractive disease control option. Delivery of BCG in oral bait holds the best prospect for vaccinating badgers over a wide geographical area. Using a guinea pig pulmonary challenge model, we evaluated the protective efficacy of candidate badger oral vaccines, based on broth-grown or ball-milled BCG, delivered either as aqueous suspensions or formulated in two lipids with differing fatty acid profiles (one being animal derived and the other being vegetable derived). Protection was determined in terms of increasing body weight after aerosol challenge with virulent M. bovis, reduced dissemination of M. bovis to the spleen, and, in the case of one oral formulation, restricted growth of M. bovis in the lungs. Only oral BCG formulated in lipid gave significant protection. These data point to the potential of the BCG-lipid formulation for further development as a tool for controlling tuberculosis in badgers.
Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom.
Simon
S
Clark
Martin L
ML
Cross
Allan
A
Nadian
Julia
J
Vipond
Pinar
P
Court
Ann
A
Williams
R Glyn
RG
Hewinson
Frank E
FE
Aldwell
Mark A
MA
Chambers
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D001835:Body Weight; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008055:Lipids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000336:Aerosols; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D008055:Lipids