Oral vaccination of calves with an aromatic-dependent Salmonella dublin (O9,12) hybrid expressing O4,12 protects against S. dublin (O9,12) but not against Salmonella typhimurium (O4,5,12).

Three groups of six calves each, 5 to 7 weeks old, were orally vaccinated with the live aromatic-dependent delta aroA Salmonella dublin (O9,12) hybrid strain SL7103 with the O4,12-specifying rfb gene cluster from Salmonella typhimurium. SL7103 was given in three weekly doses, increasing from 2 x 10(9) to 1 x 10(11) bacteria per ml, was well tolerated, and caused mild, short-term temperature increases which diminished with each immunization. The strain was shed for up to 1 week. Strain SL7103 elicited significant (P < 0.001) and equal anti-S. dublin and -S. typhimurium lipopolysaccharide serum antibody responses and skin delayed-type hypersensitivity immune responses. Six vaccinated calves orally challenged with 10(10) CFU (equivalent to 1,000 50% lethal doses) of the virulent parent strain S. dublin SVA47 were protected and experienced only transient fever and mild mucoid diarrhea. However, six vaccinated calves orally challenged with 3 x 10(9) CFU and another six challenged with 3 x 10(8) CFU (equivalent to 1,000 50% lethal doses) of the virulent S. typhimurium SVA44 became bacteremic with a profuse hemorrhagic diarrhea and had to be sacrificed within 2 to 7 days. The results suggest that the S. typhimurium antilipopolysaccharide immunity was insufficient to provide a solid protective efficacy against oral S. typhimurium infection. The immunohistopathological examination revealed that S. typhimurium SVA44 could be found in all layers of the intestinal mucosa and the lymphatic tissues of the Peyer's patches. In contrast, S. dublin SVA47 was found predominantly in the columnar enterocytes of the jejunum and ileum and the follicle-associated epithelium over the Peyer's patches. In addition, SVA47 was found in the glandular tissues of the duodenal and tonsillar areas and in the lungs. This suggests that the S. typhimurium and S. dublin strains have different virulence traits determining their tissue localization and dissemination.