Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #219297
Title: Protection against Fowl Cholera Conferred by Recombinant Pasteurella Multocida Filamentous Hemagglutinin Peptides

Author
item Tatum, Fred
item Tabatabai, Louisa
item Briggs, Robert

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2009
Publication Date: 6/1/2009
Citation: Tatum, F.M., Tabatabai, L.B., Briggs, R.E. 2009. Protection Against Fowl Cholera Conferred by Vaccination with Recombinant Pasteurella multocida Filamentous Hemagglutinin Peptides. Avian Diseases. 53(2):169-174.

Interpretive Summary: Pastreurella multocida, a gram-negative bacterium, is the causative agent of a wide range of diseases in wild and domestic animals. The organism is responsible for fowl cholera in birds, pneumonia in cattle, and hemorrhagic septicemia in buffalo. There are concerns about the efficacy and/or safety of the current P. multocida vaccines and a study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of recombinant filamentous hemagglutinin peptides as a new acellular vaccine in turkeys. In this study, we have shown that turkeys vaccinated with the peptides were significantly protected against disease and death when challenged with P. multocida. Due to the close similarities of the filamentous hemagglutinin protein across various strains of P. multocida, recombinant filamentous hemagglutinin peptides may protect both poultry and cattle against the widely divergent strains of this pathogen.

Technical Abstract: Gene fragments encoding approximately the 5’ one-third of Pasteurella multocida fhaB2 (filamentous hemagglutinin) were contained on three clones derived from P. multocida strain P-1059 (serotype A:3) and expressed in Escherichia coli. The protective immunity conferred by the combined recombinant peptides on turkeys was evaluated. The results showed that turkeys immunized twice with the purified recombinant peptides were significantly protected against intranasal challenge with P. multocida strain P-1059. Western blot analysis comparing an fhaB2 mutant to the P. multocida strain P-1059 wild-type parent revealed that mature cellular FHAB2 was approximately 170 kDa while multiple reactive high molecular weight bands were present in the concentrated culture media. The FHAB2 proteins of a bovine (A:3) (14) and an avian (F:3) strain of P. multocida are highly conserved (>99% identity) suggesting that broad cross protection against different P. multocida capsular and serotypes may be achievable through immunization with specific recombinant FHAB2 peptides.