Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in goats. IX. The effect of vaccination against natural infection

Vaccines for caseous lymphadenitis: up-to-date and forward-looking strategies

Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) is an infectious chronic disease responsible for economic losses in sheep and goat breeding worldwide. CLA has no effective treatment, evidencing the vaccination schedule as the best control strategy. Although some commercial vaccines have been available, none of them provides total protection, which is sometimes insufficient and does not reach the same efficiency when compared in sheep and goats. They also have questionable safety levels and side effects. In light of this, several experimental vaccines are in development in order to improve safety, reproducibility, and protective immune response against the etiologic agent of CLA, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. In this review, we discussed aspects as antigen, adjuvant, routes of administration, protection level, and animal models used in CLA vaccine development, as well the challenges and future perspectives. KEY POINTS: Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) does not have an appropriate commercial vaccine. Different experimental vaccines are in development aiming to protect against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. An ideal vaccine for CLA is necessary for the disease control.

Genome sequence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar equi strain 258 and prediction of antigenic targets to improve biotechnological vaccine production

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the causative agent of several veterinary diseases in a broad range of economically important hosts, which can vary from caseous lymphadenitis in sheep and goats (biovar ovis) to ulcerative lymphangitis in cattle and horses (biovar equi). Existing vaccines against C. pseudotuberculosis are mainly intended for small ruminants and, even in these hosts, they still present remarkable limitations. In this study, we present the complete genome sequence of C. pseudotuberculosis biovar equi strain 258, isolated from a horse with ulcerative lymphangitis. The genome has a total size of 2,314,404 bp and contains 2088 predicted protein-coding regions. Using in silico analysis, eleven pathogenicity islands were detected in the genome sequence of C. pseudotuberculosis 258. The application of a reverse vaccinology strategy identified 49 putative antigenic proteins, which can be used as candidate vaccine targets in future works.

Infection with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in five alpacas

Among the population of an alpaca breeding farm, 5 alpacas (22 days to 14 months old) developed focal swellings in the subcutaneous tissues of the head or neck. Infection with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was confirmed on the basis of results of microbial culture of abscess material and a serum hemolysis inhibition assay to detect C. pseudotuberculosis toxin. The dams of the affected alpacas were seronegative for C. pseudotuberculosis toxin. The affected alpacas underwent surgical excision of the abscesses and were isolated from herdmates for 90 days; treatment was successful, and no other alpacas in the herd became infected. Common risk factors for sources of infection in the affected alpacas included housing in a maternity barn and a pasture. Also, the infection potentially originated from new alpacas introduced into the herd during the preceding 3 months. Infection with C. pseudotuberculosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis for camelids with peripheral lymphadenopathy or abscesses in subcutaneous tissues.

Oedematous skin disease of buffalo in Egypt

This review covers a historical view and etiology of oedematous skin disease which affects buffalo in Egypt, the microbiology of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis causing the disease: its virulence; clinical signs; mechanism of pathogenesis; histopathology; mode of transmission; immunological aspects; treatment and control. It is concluded that C. pseudotuberculosis serotype II is the main cause of OSD and exotoxin phospholipase D and its lipid contents of the cell wall are the major causes of pathogenesis. After declaring the role of Hippobosca equina in transmission of the causative agent among buffaloes, control of OSD is now available.

Control of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in a Norwegian goat herd

A control programme for caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pseudotuberculosis) infection was established in a Norwegian goat herd comprising approximately 100 milking goats. The herd seroprevalences of antibodies against CAEV and C. pseudotuberculosis were 97% and 94%, respectively. Kids were removed from the infected flock at birth, avoiding any contact between dam and kid. The kids were kept completely segregated from the seropositive flock and fed cow's colostrum and milk. A seronegative flock was established, based on the removed kids and their offspring. Goasts belonging to the seronegative flock were allowed to kid naturally and to mother their kids. The seropositive flock was slaughtered during the second year of the control programme. After washing and disinfection, housing systems and nearby outdoor premises were left empty for 3 months. Of 230 goats examined for antibodies against CAEV with ELISA regularly during 3 years of the control program, altogether 6 were found to be seropositive, while for 10 the result was indeterminate. All 16 animals were immediately culled. During the third year of the control programme, all goats were examined and proved negative for antibodies against C. pseudotuberculosis by a haemolysis inhibition test. Clinical examination revealed no signs of CAE or caseous lymphadenitis.

Control of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in a Norwegian goat herd

A control programme for caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pseudotuberculosis) infection was established in a Norwegian goat herd comprising approximately 100 milking goats. The herd seroprevalences of antibodies against CAEV and C. pseudotuberculosis were 97% and 94%, respectively. Kids were removed from the infected flock at birth, avoiding any contact between dam and kid. The kids were kept completely segregated from the seropositive flock and fed cow's colostrum and milk. A seronegative flock was established, based on the removed kids and their offspring. Goasts belonging to the seronegative flock were allowed to kid naturally and to mother their kids. The seropositive flock was slaughtered during the second year of the control programme. After washing and disinfection, housing systems and nearby outdoor premises were left empty for 3 months. Of 230 goats examined for antibodies against CAEV with ELISA regularly during 3 years of the control program, altogether 6 were found to be seropositive, while for 10 the result was indeterminate. All 16 animals were immediately culled. During the third year of the control programme, all goats were examined and proved negative for antibodies against C. pseudotuberculosis by a haemolysis inhibition test. Clinical examination revealed no signs of CAE or caseous lymphadenitis.