Immunologic response and resistance to experimentally induced pneumonic pasteurellosis in cattle vaccinated with various dosages of lyophilized Pasteurella haemolytica.

Pasteurella haemolytica was lyophilized in an enriched soybean polypeptone broth. Lyophilization in this medium resulted in a mean 10-fold loss in P haemolytica viability, as opposed to up to a 10(4)-fold loss in viability when other media were used. Lyophilized P haemolytica was reconstituted and used as a live vaccine in 3 experiments. Calves were challenge exposed by transthoracic injection with virulent P haemolytica. In experiment 1, 2 subcutaneous injections (7-day interval between injections) with 5 ml of recently harvested (1 X 10(9) colony-forming units [CFU]/ml) or lyophilized (1 X 10(8) CFU/ml) P haemolytica significantly (P less than 0.001) enhanced resistance against challenge exposure, compared with resistance in calves given saline solution or sterile medium (control calves) or calves vaccinated with lyophilized organisms at a concentration of 1 X 10(6) CFU/ml. In experiment two, 1, 2, or 5 ml of lyophilized P haemolytica (1 X 10(8) CFU/ml) significantly (P less than 0.05) enhanced resistance, compared with resistance in calves given saline solution (control calves). In experiment three, 1 or 2 injections of lyophilized P haemolytica significantly (P less than 0.01) enhanced resistance against challenge exposure, compared with that of calves given saline solution. The mean lesion score for calves given 1 injection was not significantly higher than the mean lesion score for the group given 2 injections. Vaccination with lyophilized P haemolytica vaccine caused significant (P less than 0.05) increases in serum antibody to P haemolytica somatic antigens, to a carbohydrate-protein subunit of the organism, and to leukotoxin.