Neospora caninum vaccine

Abstract

Neospora caninum is the causal agent of bovine neosporosis which results in high levels of abortion. The protective efficacy of two Neospora antigens: Neospora cyclophilin (NcCyP) and NcSRS2 was evaluated. Mice vaccinated with recombinant (r) NcCyP, rNcSRS2, and the combination rNcCyP plus rNcSRS2, formulated with adjuvant ImmuMax-SR® and CpG were challenge-infected 3 weeks following the booster immunization and necropsied 3 weeks after the challenge infection. Mice vaccinated with rNcCyP, rNcSRS2, or the combination of rNcCyP and rNcSRS2 responded with high levels of NcCyP- or NcSRS2- specific antibodies. Mice which received vaccines formulated with either rNcCyP or the combination rNcCyP and rNcSRS2 had a higher (p<0.01) percent protection when compared to the mock- or non-vaccinated mice. Groups immunized with rNcSRS2 alone exhibited slightly lower levels of protection. Results indicate that NcCyP is a highly efficacious vaccine candidate useful in protection against Neospora infection.

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