Vaccination against Brucella

Vaccination has played an enormous role in reducing brucellosis in many countries. It is certain to continue to be the preeminent factor in control of the disease in others. The search for an ideal vaccine continues. Live vaccines have proved to be superior to inactivated products. They are effective, inexpensive, and immunity is more persistent. The disadvantages of postvaccinal antibodies can be minimized by reduction of previously recommended doses and through use of supplemental diagnostic tests. These procedures now make entire population vaccination of great practical significance with many advantages over limited use of the strains 19 and Rev. 1. Adult animal vaccination should be much more extensive in many countries. A live B. suis strain 2 vaccine developed in China deserves much additional evaluation, including use in swine, for which no satisfactory vaccine exists. It is generally agreed that cell-mediated responses are the dominant aspect of immunogenesis. However, the correlates that have frequently been used--dermal hypersensitivity and lymphocyte stimulation in vitro--appear to be poor indices of cell-mediated immunity in brucellosis. Many studies have shown that postvaccinal antibodies do not predict subsequent immunity. There is a great need for simple in vivo or in vitro methods to measure CMI. While vaccination of humans may be useful in control of brucellosis in some high-risk occupations, the ultimate success is dependent upon reduction of this very important zoonosis in natural hosts. This is most effectively accomplished by widespread use of vaccination.