The evolution of vaccines for bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis

Since the early 1900s bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis has been recognised as a major economic problem to European and North American cattle industries. Initial attempts to prevent the disease were complicated by incomplete knowledge of the causative organisms. Despite some early reports of vaccine-induced protection against disease, initial vaccines were of questionable protective value. From the late 1950s to the 1970s Pasteurella haemolytica and P multocida bacterins were the primary type of vaccine used commercially and experimentally. When viruses, most notably bovine herpesvirus 1 (infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus) and parainfluenza-3 virus, were found to be associated with bovine respiratory disease, viral vaccines were used in attempts to prevent pneumonic pasteurellosis. Combinations of bacterins and viral vaccines were also developed and evaluated. Collectively, bacterins, viral vaccines and bacterin-virus combinations did not consistently reduce disease in experimental trials or field use. By the 1980s some studies using live vaccines were reportedly successful in reducing the incidence of pneumonic pasteurellosis. Current experimental studies revolve around the identification and incorporation of specific Pasteurella species antigen extracts into vaccines. The efficacy of these new extract vaccines is yet to be determined.