Efficacy of a flock-specific pseudotuberculosis-vaccine in goats.

In a flock with 33 adult goats repeated abscesses due to Pseudotuberculosis occurred. For the owners refused a sanitation program based on testing and removing, the goats were vaccinated with a flock specific, whole-cells lys ate vaccine of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Partly simultaneously or 14 days later vaccinations against Clostridiosis (Covexin8(R)) and against Erysipelas (Erysorb plus(R)) were performed at different application sites . After a twofold basal vaccination in a 4 week interval the goats were rev accinated in half year intervals. The local (swelling at the injection site ) and systemic reactions (temperature elevation, antibody activity) after v accination and the clinical status of the flock (core body temperature, ads pection, abscesses, lymph nodes) were investigated over a period of two yea rs. Due to the vaccination program the rate of new cases of clinical pseudo tuberculosis were reduced significantly. In the last 3 months of the invest igation no clinical cases occurred. The vaccination with the C. pseudotuber culosis-vaccine induced a significant increase in antibody activies detecte d by ELISA. Due to interaction of maternal antibodies with the antigen of t he vaccine lambs should be vaccinated at the earliest at an age of 9 weeks. Vaccinating the G. pseudotuberculosis-vaccine separately in time to Covexi n8(R) and Erysorb plus(R) induced with increasing numbers of revaccinations higher antibody activities against C. pseutotuberculosis than simultaneous vaccinations with all the 3 vaccines. But this difference does not justifi y the additional expense of separate vaccinations in time. Despite consider able local and systemic reaction the C. pseudofuberculosis-vaccine is recom mended to support sanitation programs.