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Title: Vaccination of elk (Cervus canadensis) with Brucella abortus strain RB51 overexpressing superoxide dismutase and glycosyltransferase genes does not induce adequate protection against experimental brucella abortus challenge

Author
item NOL, PAULINE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item Olsen, Steven
item RHYAN, JACK - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item SRIRANGANATHAN, NAMMALWAR - Virginia-Maryland Regional College Of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM)
item MCCOLLUM, MATTHEW - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center
item HENNAGER, STEVEN - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item GARNER, ALANA - Colorado State University
item SPRINO, PHILLIP - Colorado Serum Company
item BERRIER, RANDALL - Colorado Serum Company
item ELZER, PHILIP - Louisiana State University Agcenter
item BOYLE, STEPHEN - Virginia-Maryland Regional College Of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM)
item SALMAN, MO - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2016
Publication Date: 2/10/2016
Citation: Nol, P., Olsen, S.C., Rhyan, J.C., Sriranganathan, N., McCollum, M.P., Hennager, S.G., Garner, A., Sprino, P.J., Berrier, R.J., Elzer, P., Boyle, S.M., Salman, M.D. 2016. Vaccination of elk (Cervus canadensis) with Brucella abortus strain RB51 overexpressing superoxide dismutase and glycosyltransferase genes does not induce adequate protection against experimental brucella abortus challenge. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 6:10. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00010.

Interpretive Summary: Brucella abortus is a disease that causes abortion and associated economic losses in infected cattle herds. The infection of elk with Brucella abortus in areas around Yellowstone National Park pose a risk for infecting cattle and may impair completion of the Brucellosis Eradication Program. A safe and efficacious vaccine is needed for protecting elk against brucellosis. In this study, we evaluated a new recombinant vaccine strain in elk and characterized immunologic responses and protection from experimental challenge. Our data suggests that the new vaccine strain does not significantly increase protection in elk. This data will be of benefit to the National Park Service and the states of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho in their efforts to resolve the brucellosis problem in elk in the Greater Yellowstone Area. An efficacious vaccine for elk will help prevent transmission of brucellosis to cattle herds and benefit the Brucellosis Eradication Program for cattle.

Technical Abstract: In recent years, elk (Cervus canadensis) have been implicated as the source of Brucella abortus infection for numerous cattle herds in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA). In the face of environmental and ecological changes on the landscape, the range of infected elk is expanding. Consequently, the development of effective disease management strategies for wild elk herds is of utmost importance, not only for the prevention of reintroduction of brucellosis to cattle, but also for the overall health of the GYA elk populations. In two studies, we evaluated the efficacy of B. abortus strain RB51 over-expressing superoxide dismutase and glycosytransferase (sRB51+SODc, WboA) for protecting elk from infection and disease caused by B. abortus after experimental infection with a virulent B. abortus strain. Our data indicate that the recombinant vaccine does not protect elk against brucellosis. Further work is needed for development of an effective brucellosis vaccine for use in elk.