Ovine campylobacterosis: preliminary studies of the efficacy of the in vitro serum bactericidal test as an assay for the potency of Campylobacter (Vibrio) fetus subsp intestinalis bacterins.

An in vitro serum bactericidal test was developed to assess the efficacy of Campylobacter fetus bacterins. Four experimental monovalent bacterins (either serotype C or A-2) and 2 commercial bivalent bacterins (a "suspect" and an "efficacious" bacterin) with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant were administered to sheep and rabbits from which antiserums were then prepared. The different vaccines were evaluated by comparing the in vitro bactericidal activity of the sheep and rabbit antiserums. Results of the in vitro tests were compared to the protection induced in vaccinated ewes which were orally exposed to C fetus. The sheep and the rabbit antiserums after they were heated at 56 C for 30 minutes were unable to exert a killing effect on C fetus cells. Addition of a fresh homologous complement source to the heated antiserums was necessary to demonstrate the in vitro bactericidal capacity. In the comparison of the suspect and the efficacious commercial bacterins, which both reportedly contain serotype C cells, there was a statistically significant difference in bactericidal activities for serotype C cells of antiserums from sheep 14 days after the 2nd vaccination. There was a corresponding significant difference in the antiserums from rabbits 14 days after the 2nd vaccination. Proportionally, more abortions and stillbirths were observed in the ewes vaccinated with the suspect bacterin and then orally exposed to C fetus-serotype C cells than in those vaccinated with the efficacious bacterin. The results indicated that the ability of vaccinated sheep to overcome infection is reflected in the in vitro bactericidal capacity of antiserum from the animal. Since 89% of the variation in sheep antiserums from 14 days after 2nd vaccination can be accounted for by rabbit antiserums from 14 days after 2nd vaccination, the in vitro bactericidal capacity of rabbit antiserums probably provides a reliable index of the protective effect of bacterins containing serotype C for ewes exposed to the homologous serotype.