A comparative study of the immune responses of sheep against foot-and-mouth disease virus types Asia-1 and O PEG-concentrated aluminium hydroxide gel and oil-adjuvanted vaccines.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines prepared against types Asia-1 and O PEG-concentrated and adjuvanted with aluminium hydroxide gel were compared with oil-adjuvanted types Asia-1 and O vaccines in sheep. The study was conducted by inoculating 0.5 ml of monovalent vaccine under laboratory conditions and 1 ml dose of bivalent vaccine in field conditions. The antibody responses were monitored by serum neutralization and ELISA tests. The results indicate that PEG-concentrated gel vaccine was of comparable immunogenicity to oil-adjuvanted vaccine over a study period of 8 weeks. No significant difference was observed in the antibody response with monovalent or bivalent vaccine. However, to substantiate the present findings and reach a final conclusion, further studies with both vaccines may have to be carried out over a longer period of time.