BACTERIAL SURVIVAL, LYMPH-NODE PATHOLOGY, AND SEROLOGICAL RESPONSES OF BISON (BISON-BISON) VACCINATED WITH BRUCELLA-ABORTUS STRAIN RB51 OR STRAIN-19

From August 1993 to June 1994, 3 month-old bison (Bison bison) were va ccinated with Brucella abortus strain RB51 (SRB51, n = 6). strain 19 ( S19, n = 3), or with saline (n = 1) and serologic responses and persis tence or vaccine strains within lymph nodes were monitored. Bison vacc inated with S19 had granulomatous lymphadenitis and greater peak numbe rs of B. abortus than those vaccinated with SRB51. Bison vaccinated wi th RB51 had similar histological lesions and B. abortus were still pre sent in lymph nodes at 16 weeks. Although antibodies against RB51 mere produced, standard tube agglutination test responses of RB51-vaccinat es remained negative. The histological lesions of B. abortus infection s in bison were similar to those observed in cattle, but bison did not clear SRB51 as rapidly as cattle.