Thermostable Cross-Protective Subunit Vaccine against Brucella Species
ABSTRACTA subunit vaccine candidate was produced fromBrucella suis145 (biovar 4; expressing both the A antigen ofBrucella abortusand the M antigen ofBrucella melitensis). The preparation consisted mostly of polysaccharide (PS; >90% [wt/wt]; both cell-associated PS and exo-PS were combined) and a small amount of protein (1 to 3%) with no apparent nucleic acids. Vaccinated mice were protected (these had a statistically significant reduction in bacterial colonization compared to that of unvaccinated controls) when challenged with representative strains of threeBrucellaspecies most pathogenic for humans, i.e.,B. abortus,B. melitensis, andB. suis. As little as 1 ng of the vaccine, without added adjuvant, protected mice againstB. suis145 infection (5 × 105CFU), and a single injection of 1 μg of this subunit vaccine protected mice fromB. suis145 challenge for at least 14 months. A single immunization induced a serum IgG response toBrucellaantigens that remained elevated for up to 9 weeks. The use of heat (i.e., boiling-water bath, autoclaving) in the vaccine preparation showed that it was thermostable. This method also ensured safety and security. The vaccine produced was immunogenic and highly protective against multiple strains ofBrucellaand represents a promising candidate for further evaluation.