Antigens of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and prospects for vaccine development

Abstract

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis continues to cause considerable economic losses in ovine and caprine herds worldwide, causing caseous lymphadenitis. Nevertheless, the immunology of this disease is relatively unknown. Novel antigens may provide vaccines that are more effective and improve diagnostic methods for better control of this disease. The available commercial vaccines are not able to fully protect susceptible animals, cannot be used in all host species and are not licensed for use in many countries. Recent studies on the genomics of C. pseudotuberculosis and on its molecular determinants of virulence should bring us new alternatives for more effective vaccine formulations.

Keywords::

• caseous lymphadenitis
• cheesy gland
• Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
• diagnostic
• goat
• immunodominant antigen
• immunology
• phospholipase D
• sheep
• vaccine

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brazil; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brasil, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos-01.04.760.00 (FINEP) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), Brazil. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.