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PLoS pathogens2009; 5(9); e1000584; doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000584

Getting to grips with strangles: an effective multi-component recombinant vaccine for the protection of horses from Streptococcus equi infection.

Abstract: Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi) is a clonal, equine host-adapted pathogen of global importance that causes a suppurative lymphodendopathy of the head and neck, more commonly known as Strangles. The disease is highly prevalent, can be severe and is highly contagious. Antibiotic treatment is usually ineffective. Live attenuated vaccine strains of S. equi have shown adverse reactions and they suffer from a short duration of immunity. Thus, a safe and effective vaccine against S. equi is highly desirable. The bacterium shows only limited genetic diversity and an effective vaccine could confer broad protection to horses throughout the world. Welsh mountain ponies (n = 7) vaccinated with a combination of seven recombinant S. equi proteins were significantly protected from experimental infection by S. equi, resembling the spontaneous disease. Vaccinated horses had significantly reduced incidence of lymph node swelling (p = 0.0013) lymph node abscessation (p = 0.00001), fewer days of pyrexia (p = 0.0001), reduced pathology scoring (p = 0.005) and lower bacterial recovery from lymph nodes (p = 0.004) when compared with non-vaccinated horses (n = 7). Six of 7 vaccinated horses were protected whereas all 7 non-vaccinated became infected. The protective antigens consisted of five surface localized proteins and two IgG endopeptidases. A second vaccination trial (n = 7+7), in which the IgG endopeptidases were omitted, demonstrated only partial protection against S. equi, highlighting an important role for these vaccine components in establishing a protective immune response. S. equi shares >80% sequence identity with Streptococcus pyogenes. Several of the components utilized here have counterparts in S. pyogenes, suggesting that our findings have broader implications for the prevention of infection with this important human pathogen. This is one of only a few demonstrations of protection from streptococcal infection conferred by a recombinant multi-component subunit vaccine in a natural host.
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Publication Date: 2009-09-18 PubMed ID: 19763180PubMed Central: PMC2736577DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000584Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research focuses on testing the effectiveness of a recombinant vaccine made up of multiple components aimed at protecting horses from Streptococcus equi (S. equi) infection, a contagious disease widely known as Strangles. The experimental results show that the vaccine effectively reduces the symptoms and severity of Strangles in horses.

Study Background

  • Strangles, caused by the globally important pathogen S. equi, is a prevalent disease affecting horses that causes a suppurative lymphodendopathy of the head and neck. The disease is highly infectious and can be severe.
  • Current treatments, including antibiotic use and live attenuated vaccine strains of S. equi, are mostly ineffective due to adverse reactions and a short duration of immunity.
  • The study emphasizes the need for a safe and effective vaccine that can offer broad protection to horses worldwide against this highly contagious disease.

Methodology and Findings

  • A group of Welsh mountain ponies was vaccinated with a combination of seven recombinant S. equi proteins. These horses showed significant protection against experimental S. equi infection, resembling the spontaneous disease.
  • Compared with non-vaccinated horses, the vaccinated horses showed significantly reduced lymph node swelling and abscessation, fewer days of pyrexia (fever), lower pathology scores, and reduced bacterial recovery from lymph nodes.
  • Besides, out of seven vaccinated horses, six were protected, while all seven non-vaccinated horses got infected.
  • The protective antigens in the vaccine included five surface-localized proteins and two IgG endopeptidases.

Second Vaccination Trial and Conclusions

  • A second trial excluding the IgG endopeptidases from the vaccine showed only partial protection against S. equi, emphasizing the importance of these components in establishing protective immunity.
  • As S. equi shares more than 80% sequence identity with Streptococcus pyogenes, several components used in this research also have counterparts in S. pyogenes, a human pathogen. This suggests broader implications for preventing infections with S. pyogenes among humans.
  • This study is among the few to show that a multi-component recombinant subunit vaccine can provide protection from streptococcal infections in a natural host.

Cite This Article

APA
Guss B, Flock M, Frykberg L, Waller AS, Robinson C, Smith KC, Flock JI. (2009). Getting to grips with strangles: an effective multi-component recombinant vaccine for the protection of horses from Streptococcus equi infection. PLoS Pathog, 5(9), e1000584. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1000584

Publication

PLoS pathogens
ISSN: 1553-7374
NlmUniqueID: 101238921
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 5
Issue: 9
Pages: e1000584

Researcher Affiliations

Guss, Bengt
  • Department of Microbiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Flock, Margareta
    Frykberg, Lars
      Waller, Andrew S
        Robinson, Carl
          Smith, Ken C
            Flock, Jan-Ingmar

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Bacterial Proteins / immunology
              • Disease Models, Animal
              • Female
              • Fever / prevention & control
              • Fever / veterinary
              • Horse Diseases / immunology
              • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
              • Horses
              • Lymph Nodes / microbiology
              • Lymph Nodes / pathology
              • Mice
              • Mice, Inbred Strains
              • Streptococcal Infections / immunology
              • Streptococcal Infections / prevention & control
              • Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
              • Streptococcal Vaccines / administration & dosage
              • Streptococcal Vaccines / immunology
              • Streptococcus equi / immunology
              • Vaccination / veterinary
              • Vaccines, Synthetic / administration & dosage
              • Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology

              Conflict of Interest Statement

              The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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              This article has been cited 12 times.
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