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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #79193
Title: BOVINE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7

Author
item Hoffman, Mark
item Casey, Thomas
item Bosworth, Brad

Submitted to: International Symposium and Workshop on Shiga Toxin ... Escherichia coli
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/26/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We are exploring the bovine immune response to Escherichia coli O157:H7 in order to develop vaccination strategies to reduce fecal shedding of this pathogen in cattle. Three groups of calves were studied. One group was orally vaccinated with an E. coli O157:H7 variant that does not express Shiga-like toxins (SLT) I or II, a second group with wild-type (wt) E. coli iO157:H7 (SLT II**+), and a third group with a nonpathogenic strain of E. coli. All calves were subsequently challenged with wt O157:H7 three weeks after a second vaccination. Prior exposure to wt 0157:H7 or the SLT**- variant did not reduce fecal shedding of wt O157:H7 upon challenge. All calves developed antibodies to O-antigen. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from the calves vaccinated with the SLT**- strain proliferated in response to heat-killed O157:H7, while PBMCs from calves vaccinated with wt O157:H7 or control strain did not. These findings support the hypothesis that SLT II has an immunosuppressive effect which future vaccination efforts will need to address.