[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 lysate vaccine of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Partly simultaneously or 14 days later vaccinations against Clostridiosis (Covexin8) and against Erysipelas (Erysorb plus) were performed at different application sites. After a twofold basal vaccination in a 4 week interval the goats were revaccinated in half year intervals. The local (swelling at the injection site) and systemic reactions (temperature elevation, antibody activity) after vaccination and the clinical status of the flock (core body temperature, adspection, abscesses, lymph nodes) were investigated over a period of two years. Due to the vaccination program the rate of new cases of clinical pseudotuberculosis were reduced significantly. In the last 3 months of the investigation no clinical cases occurred. The vaccination with the C. pseudotuberculosis-vaccine induced a significant increase in antibody activities detected by ELISA. Due to interaction of maternal antibodies with the antigen of the vaccine lambs should be vaccinated at the earliest at an age of 9 weeks. Vaccinating the C. pseudotuberculosis-vaccine separately in time to Covexin8 and Erysorb plus induced with increasing numbers of revaccinations higher antibody activities against C. pseudotuberculosis than simultaneous vaccinations with all the 3 vaccines. But this difference does not justify the additional expense of separate vaccinations in time. Despite considerable local and systemic reaction the C. pseudotuberculosis-vaccine is recommended to support sanitation programs.