A live vaccine from Brucella abortus strain 82 for control of cattle brucellosis in the Russian Federation

Abstract

During the first half of the twentieth century, widespread regulatory efforts to control cattle brucellosis due to Brucella abortus in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics were essentially non-existent, and control was limited to selective test and slaughter of serologic agglutination reactors. By the 1950s, 2-3 million cattle were being vaccinated annually with the strain 19 vaccine, but because this vaccine induced strong, long-term titers on agglutination tests that interfered with identification of cattle infected with field strains of B. abortus, its use in cattle was discontinued in 1970. Soviet scientists then began a comprehensive program of research to identify vaccines with high immunogenicity, weak responses on agglutination tests and low pathogenicity in humans, as a foundation for widespread control of cattle brucellosis. While several new vaccines that induced weak or no responses on serologic agglutination tests were identified by experiments in guinea pigs and cattle, a large body of experimental and field studies suggested that the smooth-rough strain SR82 vaccine combined the desired weak agglutination test responses with comparatively higher efficacy against brucellosis. In 1974, prior to widespread use of strain SR82 vaccine, over 5300 cattle farms across the Russian Federation were known to be infected with B. abortus. By January 2008, only 68 cattle farms in 18 regions were known to be infected with B. abortus, and strain SR82 continues to be the most widely and successfully used vaccine in many regions of the Russian Federation.

Epidemiology of Brucellosis and Genetic Diversity of Brucella abortus in Kazakhstan

“…Since the mid-70s, B . abortus strain 82 has been used to vaccinate all groups of cattle along with state-wide test and slaughter program, which led to a gradual decrease of incidence in herds [39, 40], reaching its minimum (1.4%) in 1989. Hypothetically, continuation of this combined strategy would eradicate brucellosis from cattle.…”

Advancement of Knowledge of Brucella Over the Past 50 Years

“…91 A the present time, use of the killed 45/ 20 vaccine has ceased. Except for the introduction of B. abortus strain RB51 in the United States in 1996 91 and the implementation of the use of B. abortus strain 82 in the Russian Federation in 1974, 69 there has been a paucity of vaccines developed over the past 50 years that have progressed to significant use under field conditions in natural hosts. Similarly, a brucellosis vaccine with acceptable safety and efficacy in humans remains elusive.…”

Brucella Abortus Vaccines: Use in Control Programs and Immune Response

“…The SR82 strain is a live attenuated vaccine used since 1974 by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) for bovine brucellosis control. Currently, the SR82 strain is still massively used in the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and other countries in the region [17]. Recombinant vaccines are part of the continuous efforts to reach a safer and more effective B. abortus vaccine, with the potential to be the future of cattle and human brucellosis control.…”