Safety of Brucella abortus Strain RB51 in Deer Mice

• Published in: Journal of wildlife diseases Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 621 - 625
• Main Authors: Cook, Walter E., Williams, Elizabeth S., Thorne, E. Tom, Taylor, Sharon K., Anderson, Sandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wildlife Disease Association 01.07.2001; Wildlife Dis Assoc
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Brucella abortus; Brucella abortus - immunology; Brucella Vaccine - administration & dosage; Brucella Vaccine - pharmacokinetics; Brucella Vaccine - standards; brucellosis; Brucellosis - pathology; Brucellosis - prevention & control; Brucellosis - veterinary; Colony Count, Microbial; deer mice; experimental infection; Female; Injections, Intraperitoneal - veterinary; Male; Peromyscus - immunology; Peromyscus maniculatus; Random Allocation; RB51; Safety; SHORT COMMUNICATIONS; Spleen - microbiology; Spleen - pathology; Uterus - microbiology; Uterus - pathology
• ISSN: 0090-3558; 1943-3700
• DOI: 10.7589/0090-3558-37.3.621

Brucella abortus strain RB51 is an approved brucellosis vaccine for use in cattle that may have potential as an oral vaccine for use in elk (Cervus elaphus) and/or bison (Bison bison). This study was designed to determine effects of strain RB51 on deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), a nontarget species that could have access to treated baits in a field situation. In February 1994, 90 mice were orally dosed or intraperitoneally injected with 1 × 108 colony forming units strain RB51 and 77 controls were similarly dosed with sterile saline. At weekly intervals through early April 1994, 4 to 6 mice from each group were euthanized, gross necropsies performed, spleens and uteruses cultured, and tissues examined histologically. All orally inoculated mice cleared the infection by 6 wk post-inoculation (PI). While most of the injected mice cleared the infection by 7 wk PI, a few required 9 wk. There were minimal adverse effects attributable to strain RB51. Apparently, strain RB51 would not negatively impact P. maniculatus populations if it were used in a field situation. Also, deer mice appear to be able to clear the vaccine in 6 to 9 wk, thus the probability of these mice transmitting the vaccine to other animals is low.