This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Palmer, M. V. Articles by Lyashchenko, K. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Palmer, M. V. Articles by Lyashchenko, K. P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, March 2006, p. 387-394, Vol. 13, No. 3
1071-412X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.13.3.387-394.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effects of Different Tuberculin Skin-Testing Regimens on Gamma Interferon and Antibody Responses in Cattle Experimentally Infected with Mycobacterium bovis

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Ames, Iowa,¹ Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Medford, New York²

Received 27 October 2005/ Returned for modification 27 December 2005/ Accepted 12 January 2006

Although tuberculin skin testing has been a hallmark of bovine tuberculosis eradication campaigns, it lacks sensitivity, can be confounded by exposure to nontuberculous mycobacteria, and cannot be repeated for 60 days due to desensitization. To overcome these difficulties, an effective whole-blood cellular immunoassay for bovine gamma interferon (IFN-) has been developed. The IFN- test is commonly used in conjunction with tuberculin skin testing as a confirmatory test following a positive response to the caudal fold test (CFT). The present study was conducted to determine the effect of different tuberculin skin-testing regimens on IFN- and antibody production by using calves that were experimentally infected with Mycobacterium bovis. Holstein calves were CFT tested 60 days after inoculation and the comparative cervical test (CCT) was conducted 7 (7-day CCT) or 55 (55-day CCT) days after the CFT. In both the 7-day CCT and 55-day CCT groups, IFN- responses increased 3 days after the CFT; this was immediately followed by a decrease to pre-skin test levels 7 days after the CFT. In both groups, the application of the CCT at 7 or 55 days after the CFT resulted in no significant increase in IFN- production. The administration of the CFT and the CCT to M. bovis-inoculated cattle boosted antibody responses to M. bovis PPD, rMPB83, ESAT-6, and the fusion protein Acr1-MPB83. The boosting effect was more pronounced in the 55-day CCT group. Increases in either IFN- or antibody production were not seen in noninoculated cattle. Measurement of both IFN- and antibody responses after skin testing may be useful in identifying M. bovis-infected cattle; however, the timing of collection of such samples may influence interpretation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Palmer, M. V., Waters, W. R., Thacker, T. C. (2007). Lesion Development and Immunohistochemical Changes in Granulomas from Cattle Experimentally Infected with Mycobacterium bovis. Vet Pathol 44: 863-874 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Stabel, J. R., Kimura, K., Robbe-Austerman, S. (2007). Augmentation of secreted and intracellular gamma interferon following johnin purified protein derivative sensitization of cows naturally infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. jvdi 19: 43-51 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Waters, W. R., Palmer, M. V., Thacker, T. C., Bannantine, J. P., Vordermeier, H. M., Hewinson, R. G., Greenwald, R., Esfandiari, J., McNair, J., Pollock, J. M., Andersen, P., Lyashchenko, K. P. (2006). Early Antibody Responses to Experimental Mycobacterium bovis Infection of Cattle. CVI 13: 648-654 [Abstract] [Full Text]