Immunological parameters associated with antigenic competition in a multivalent footrot vaccine

Abstract

A murine model for antigenic competition with multivalent D. nodosus pili vaccine has been established that parallels the phenomenon observed in sheep where levels of antibody, specific for any particular serogroup of pili, are significantly lower following vaccination in the presence of multiple serogroups of pili than with that serogroup alone. This competition was observed in both high and low responder strains of mice and was not dependent on the multiplicity of the antigens in the multivalent vaccine but could be observed with a large excess of a single heterologous serogroup. Competition was manifest by a reduction in the number of serogroup-specific antibody secreting cells elicited i..