Emergency vaccination of sheep against foot-and-mouth disease: protection against disease and reduction in contact transmission

The ability of several emergency FMD vaccine formulations to elicit early p rotective immunity in sheep was examined. All vaccine formulations were sho wn to protect sheep against airborne challenge with homologous FMDV within 4 days of vaccination. Protection was associated in part with the induction of serum antibody responses but was also demonstrated in the absence of an y detectable antibody response at the rime of challenge. Aqueous Al(OH)(3)/ saponin vaccine formulations and oil emulsion vaccines based on Montanide I SA 206 adjuvant reduced virus replication and the numbers of animals subcli nically infected up to 28 days post-challenge, when compared with non-vacci nated animals, consequently limiting transmission of the disease or infecti on to in-contact susceptible animals. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.