Studies of the efficacy of a novel intranasal vaccine against feline bordetellosis.

A novel intranasal vaccine against disease caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica in cats was tested in a series of three experiments. In the first experiment a vaccinated group and an unvaccinated control group of kittens were challenged by the aerosol route with virulent B bronchiseptica three weeks after they had been vaccinated. The control kittens developed upper respiratory tract signs typical of feline B bronchiseptica infection, including rhinitis, a serous ocular and nasal discharge, fever, sneezing and coughing. The mean (sd) clinical score for the cats in the unvaccinated control group was 19.5 (5.4) compared with 1.53 (1.9) for the vaccinated group. In the second experiment vaccinated kittens were challenged with virulent B bronchiseptica 72 hours after they were vaccinated. Their mean clinical score was 2.76 (2.62) compared with 13.4 (3.33) for the control group. In the final experiment, vaccinated and unvaccinated control cats were challenged after six or 12 months. After six months the mean clinical scores were 13.9 (4.7) for the control group, compared with 1.33 (1.56) for the vaccinated group, and after 12 months the scores were 9.92 (5.79) for the control group compared with 0.92 (0.89) for the vaccinated group.