Molecular genotyping of multinational ovine and caprine Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) is a chronic, suppurative disease, with a worldwide distribution, caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. The clinical manifestation of CLA is known to vary between different countries, and has been postulated to be due to differences in the strains present in these countries. Forty-two sheep and goat isolates of C.

Vaccination confers significant protection of sheep against infection with a virulent United Kingdom strain of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis.

Using a virulent United Kingdom Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis isolate, an ovine experimental model of caseous lymphadenitis was developed, in which the manifestation of disease was equivalent to the naturally observed infection in this country. Subsequently, the capacity of several experimental vaccines to protect against experimental challenge was determined. Sheep were immunised with a recombinant derivative of phospholipase D, deriving from the virulent UK isolate, a formalin-killed bacterin of the same strain, or a bacterin supplemented with recombinant phospholipase D.