Serological response of dromedary camels vaccinated with Brucella abortus RB51 and Brucella melitensis REV 1 Vaccines

A vaccination experiment was conducted in dromedary camels at CVRL. Six adult dromedaries received 2 ml of the Brucella abortus vaccine RB51 subcutaneously and 6 camels 1ml of the B. melitensis Rev 1. Four different serological tests were conducted to follow the seroconversion post vaccination. None of the 6 dromedaries vaccinated with RB51 produced antibodies, measured for 1 year, due to lack of lipopolysaccharide O-side chains in the vaccine. However, antibodies appeared in all 6 dromedaries 30 days post vaccination with B. melitensis Rev 1, which declined slowly over time. Three hundred thirty days post vaccination ELISA antibodies were still present in 5 of the 6 dromedaries as well as RBT, SAT and CFT antibodies in some of them. This is a disadvantage as all serological methods for the diagnosis of brucellosis cannot differentiate between vaccine or natural infection titres.