ABSTRACT
Although cattle develop humoral immune responses to Shiga-toxigenic (Stx+) Escherichia coli O157:H7, infections often result in long-term shedding of these human pathogenic bacteria. The objective of this study was to compare humoral and cellular immune responses to Stx+ and Stx− E. coli O157:H7. Three groups of calves were inoculated intrarumenally, twice in a 3-week interval, with different strains of E. coli: a Stx2-producing E. coli O157:H7 strain (Stx2+O157), a Shiga toxin-negative E. coli O157:H7 strain (Stx−O157), or a nonpathogenic E. coli strain (control). Fecal shedding of Stx2+O157 was significantly higher than that of Stx−O157 or the control. Three weeks after the second inoculation, all calves were challenged with Stx2+O157. Following the challenge, levels of fecal shedding of Stx2+O157 were similar in all three groups. Both groups inoculated with an O157 strain developed antibodies to O157 LPS. Calves initially inoculated with Stx−O157, but not those inoculated with Stx2+O157, developed statistically significant lymphoproliferative responses to heat-killed Stx2+O157. These results provide evidence that infections with STEC can suppress the development of specific cellular immune responses in cattle, a finding that will need to be addressed in designing vaccines against E. coli O157:H7 infections in cattle.
FOOTNOTES
- Received 2 June 2006.
- Returned for modification 1 August 2006.
- Accepted 5 October 2006.
↵▿ Published ahead of print on 18 October 2006.
- American Society for Microbiology