Immune responses of goats (Shami breed) to vaccination
with a full dose, reduced dose and conjunctival dose of Brucevac (Brucella
melitensis rev.1) vaccine
F. ALDOMY, M. ALKHAWALDEH1 AND I. B. YOUNIS
Jordan Bioindustries Centre (JOVAC), P.O. Box 43, Amman, 11941;1Veterinary Department,
P. O. Box 2395, Ministry of
Agriculture, Amman, Jordan
Abstract
Three groups of Shami goats were randomly
vaccinated with Brucevac (Rev. 1) vaccine. Group 1 was vaccinated subcutaneously
with a full dose (1.54 x 109 organisms). Group 2 was vaccinated
conjunctively with one eye drop (5.2 x 108 organisms), while Group 3
was injected subcutaneously with a reduced dose (7.1 x 105 organisms)
of vaccine. Blood samples were collected before vaccination, two, four, eight,
15 and 24 weeks post vaccination. All samples were tested through CFT, ELISA,
SAT and Rose Bengal plate test.
All serological tests used detected a higher
percentage of vaccinated female kids with a full dose than they did in other
groups vaccinated with a reduced dose or with a conjunctival dose of Rev.1
vaccine.
The overall results suggested that 100% of
animals vaccinated with a conjunctival dose became positive to CFT at two, four,
eight, and 15 weeks post vaccination, and then the percentage of seropositive
animals declined and became 20% at 24 weeks post inoculation. The conjunctival
route of vaccination significantly reduced the intensity and duration of the
post vaccination serological response, while makes the use of this vaccine
compatible with brucellosis programmes, even when these are based on a
test-and–slaughter policy. The overall results showed that Shami goats responded to Rev.1 vaccine in
the expected way. The majority of animals were seropositive to the CFT by two
weeks after vaccination with higher numbers of seropositive animals in the kids
group vaccinated with a full dose of Rev.1 vaccine.