EFFECT OF BRUCELLA-ABORTUS TRANSFER-FACTOR IN PREVENTING MURINE BRUCELLOSIS

Mice vaccinated with a protein extract of attenuated Brucella abortus strain 19 had increased resistance to infection with virulent B. abort us strain 2308 and had increased antibody responses to strain 2308. Ho wever, resistance to infection and antibody responses were not increas ed when nonvaccinated recipient mice were given transfer factor prepar ations that were obtained from either vaccinated donor mice or strain 2308-infected donor mice. Vaccination of mice with the strain 19 extra ct plus treatment with each transfer factor preparation also did not f urther increase resistance to infection or antibody responses when com pared with mice that received the vaccine alone. These results suggest that transfer factor from mice that have either vaccine-induced prote ctive immunity to B. abortus or active B. abortus infections does not enhance antibody responses and resistance to infection with B. abortus .