Haemorrhagic septicaemia vaccines

Haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS), an economically important disease of cattle and buffaloes, is caused by Pasteurella multocida (6:B). Vaccination against this disease is widely practised. Plain broth bacterins, or alum precipitated and aluminium hydroxide gel vaccines are administered twice a year since these vaccines offer an immunity of 4-6 months. Many countries use oil adjuvant vaccine (OAV), which gives both a higher degree and a longer duration of immunity up to 1 year. A double emulsion and multiple emulsion vaccine consisting of a thin viscosity have also been experimentally developed that gave an immunity parallel to OAV. Recently, a live vaccine developed from a fallow deer strain (B:3,4) has been used in Myanmar that offers an immunity for more than a year but is not free from constraints. The present review provides information on HS vaccines developed from time to time using whole bacteria or their components. The kinetics and isotype of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses have also been poorly understood so far, and hence information on their role in protection against HS is reviewed.