Protective immunity in cattle vaccinated with a commercial scale, inactivated, bivalent vesicular stomatitis vaccine.

A commercially prepared oil-adjuvanted, inactivated vaccine containing antigens of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) serotypes New Jersey (NJ) and Indiana 1 (IND1) was administered to calves to determine its ability to induce protective immunity. Weekly serological studies were conducted. The 12 calves in Group I were vaccinated once and challenge inoculated with VSV New Jersey 28 days later. Two calves were fully protected and two were partially protected. The five calves in Group II were vaccinated twice 40 days apart and challenge inoculated on 14 days post-second vaccination (dp2v) with VSV Indiana 1. All animals were fully protected. The 14 calves in Group III were vaccinated twice 91 days apart and challenge inoculated on 91 dp2v with VSV Indiana 1. All animals were fully protected. All control calves in each group became clinically ill. Two calves inoculated with VSV Indiana 1 challenge virus on day 0 and 11 weeks later showed clinical disease after each inoculation. No virus was isolated from the blood of four acutely ill calves 48 h after challenge inoculation.