Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Brucella Vaccine ; immunology ; Brucella abortus ; immunology ; Female ; Immunization ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Periplasmic Binding Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Ribosomal Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

The study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of Brucella antibodies in sera of 120 cows in Bangladesh Agricultural University Dairy Farm and adjacent villages, Bangladesh. The epidemiological history and blood was collected from the cows. The serum samples were subjected to Rose Bengal Test (RBT)and plate agglutination test (PAT) for initial screening of Brucella antibodies and the positive sera samples were then subjected to tube agglutination test (TAT)for further confirmation. The higher rate of Brucella antibody was recorded in rural farm (5.0%)than organized farm (2.5%)and in pregnant cows (5.9%)than non-pregnant cows (4.7%). A total of 3 (4%)Brucella positive antibody cases were recorded in cows of above four years of age whereas, 1 (2.3%)positive case was found in cows of less than 4 years of age. The study revealed that number of Red Shindi was the highest and the prevalence of brucellosis in Bangladesh cow population is not negligible and it is worthwhile to consider adoption of preventive measures.
Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial/*blood ; Bangladesh/epidemiology ; Brucella/*immunology ; Brucellosis, Bovine/*epidemiology ; Cattle ; Female ; Prevalence ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

The outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of Brucella (B.) abortus have been extensively studied, but their immunogenicity and protective ability against B. abortus infection are still unclear. In the present study, B. abortus Omp28, a group 3 antigen, was amplified by PCR and cloned into a maltose fusion protein expression system. Recombinant Omp28 (rOmp28) was expressed in Escherichia coli and was then purified. Immunogenicity of rOmp28 was confirmed by Western blot analysis with Brucella-positive mouse serum. Furthermore, humoral- or cell-mediated immune responses measured by the production of IgG1 or IgG2a in rOmp28-immunized mice and the ability of rOmp28 immunization to protect against B. abortus infection were evaluated in a mouse model. In the immunogenicity analysis, the mean titers of IgG1 and IgG2a produced by rOmp28-immunized mice were 20-fold higher than those of PBS-treated mice throughout the entire experimental period. Furthermore, spleen proliferation and bacterial burden in the spleen of rOmp28-immunized mice were approximately 1.5-fold lower than those of PBS-treated mice when challenged with virulent B. abortus. These findings suggest that rOmp28 from B. abortus is a good candidate for manufacturing an effective subunit vaccine against B. abortus infection in animals.
Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood ; Blotting, Western/veterinary ; Brucella Vaccine/*immunology ; Brucella abortus/*immunology ; Brucellosis, Bovine/*immunology/microbiology/*prevention & control ; Cattle ; Cloning, Molecular ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/veterinary ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary ; Female ; Immunization/veterinary ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Immunoglobulin Isotypes/blood ; Membrane Proteins/genetics/*immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Models, Animal ; Recombinant Proteins/genetics/immunology ; Vaccines, Subunit/immunology

To prepare anti-Brucella abortus serum used for calibrate the agglutination test follwing the national standard, 4 anti-Brucella abortus sera were obtained from 4 cows infected with Brucella abortus naturally. By potency testing, the third serum was selected. Sterility, vaccum degree, residual moisture, uniformity and stability of this standard material were tested and proved to meet the national standard. Referring to the international standard, RBT (Rose-Bengal plate agglutination test), SAT (standard tube agglutination) and CFT (complement fixation test) titers of this standard material were measured to be 1:160 "+" 1:2 400 "++" and 1:800 "++", which are identical with the collaborative assay results. International unit of the standard material is 4 000 IU/mL.
Agglutination Tests ; veterinary ; Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Antigens, Bacterial ; immunology ; Brucella abortus ; immunology ; Brucellosis, Bovine ; diagnosis ; Cattle ; China ; Complement Fixation Tests ; veterinary ; Immune Sera ; Reference Standards

The Brucella mdh gene was successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli. The purified recombinant malate dehydrogenase protein (rMDH) was reactive to Brucella-positive bovine serum in the early stage, but not reactive in the middle or late stage, and was reactive to Brucella-positive mouse serum in the late stage, but not in the early or middle stage of infection. In addition, rMDH did not react with Brucella-negative bovine or mouse sera. These results suggest that rMDH has the potential for use as a specific antigen in serological diagnosis for early detection of bovine brucellosis.
Animals ; Antigens, Bacterial/*immunology ; Brucella abortus/*enzymology/immunology ; Brucellosis/diagnosis/*veterinary ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*diagnosis ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Escherichia coli/genetics ; Malate Dehydrogenase/*genetics/*immunology/isolation & purification ; Mice ; Recombinant Proteins/genetics/*immunology

Immunizing animals in the wild against Brucella (B.) abortus is essential to control bovine brucellosis because cattle can get the disease through close contact with infected wildlife. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effectiveness of the B. abortus strain RB51 vaccine in protecting infection as well as vertical transmission in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats against B. abortus biotype 1. Virgin female SD rats (n = 48) two months of age were divided into two groups: one group (n = 24) received RB51 vaccine intraperitoneally with 3 x 10(10) colony forming units (CFU) and the other group (n = 24) was used as non-vaccinated control. Non-vaccinated and RB51-vaccinated rats were challenged with 1.5 x 10(9) CFU of virulent B. abortus biotype 1 six weeks after vaccination. Three weeks after challenge, all rats were bred. Verification of RB51-vaccine induced protection in SD rats was determined by bacteriological, serological and molecular screening of maternal and fetal tissues at necropsy. The RB51 vaccine elicited 81.25% protection in SD rats against infection with B. abortus biotype 1. Offspring from rats vaccinated with RB51 had a decreased (p < 0.05) prevalence of vertical transmission of B. abortus biotype 1 compared to the offspring from non-vaccinated rats (20.23% and 87.50%, respectively). This is the first report of RB51 vaccination efficacy against the vertical transmission of B. abortus in the SD rat model.
Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood ; Bacterial Vaccines/immunology/*standards ; Birth Weight ; Brucella abortus/immunology/isolation & purification/*physiology ; Brucellosis/immunology/microbiology/*prevention & control/*transmission ; Female ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical/*prevention & control ; Litter Size ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Survival Analysis

Eleven cases of human brucellosis occurred among livestock workers and a veterinarian who lived and worked in a rural area around Jeongeup City, Jeollabuk-Do, Korea from February 2003 to August 2003. Eight of the patients had taken care of Korean native cattle that were infected with bovine brucellosis and had already been slaughtered. Two of the patients had taken care of dairy cattle, and one case was a veterinarian who acquired the disease through an accidental contact with infected cattle while assisting in calf delivery. Eleven cases were identified by serologic work ups and four cases were identified via positive blood cultures. This study shows that the Republic of Korea is no longer free of human brucellosis, Brucella abortus biotype 1. We reviewed the patients' characteristics and serologic data during the oneyear follow up period, and we also discuss on the efficacy and side effects of the rifampin and doxycyline regimen used for the treatment of human brucellosis.
Adult ; Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood ; Base Sequence ; Brucella abortus/genetics/immunology/isolation and purification ; Brucellosis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/microbiology/transmission ; Brucellosis, Bovine/transmission ; Cattle ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; Disease Outbreaks ; Doxycycline/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases/drug therapy/epidemiology/immunology/microbiology ; Rifampin/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Veterinarians