Efficacy of herd-specific autogenous vaccine against contagious lymphadenitis in dromedaries - preliminary report

In a first experiment of this kind in dromedaries, the efficacy of a herd specific autogenous vaccine containing a formalin inactivated C. pseudotuberculosis culture supernatant was assessed in Kenya. This vaccine which contained 300μg/ml PLD was subcutaneously injected thrice at the neck of 117 dromedaries of which 26 were calves between 4 to 6 months. All dromedaries suffered from generalised CLA with abscess formation mainly in front of the shoulder. All dromedaries possessed antibodies to CLA. After 2 vaccinations, no more abscesses developed and existing abscesses receded in adult dromedaries whereas a similar success was observed in young calves after the 3rd vaccination when their age had reached 12 months. It is believed that herd-specific strains and the amount of PLD in the vaccine are important factors for the efficacy.