Protective immunity to heartwater (Cowdria ruminantium infection) is acquired after vaccination with in vitro-attenuated rickettsiae

A Senegalese (S) stock of Cowdria ruminantium was passaged on bovine umbilical endothelial cells with an average interval of 13.9 days (range, 8 to 34 days) between passages. The virulence of infected bovine umbilical endothelial cultures was tested in susceptible goats and sheep by intravenous inoculation of culture supernatant from passages 2 (51 days in vitro), 3 (69 days), 11 (229 days), 14 (264 days), and 16 (291 days). Both animals inoculated with passages 2 and 3 died of heartwater. However, clinical reactions were completely absent in goats and sheep that were inoculated with C. ruminantium from passages 11, 14, and 16. High antibody titers were detected, with immunofluorescence in all vaccinated animals, and a strong signal was found against a 32-kDa Cowdria protein in Western blots (immunoblots). Moreover, the vaccinated animals proved solidly immune when challenged with virulent Cowdria sp.-infected blood stabilate (S strain), whereas all control goats died. No attenuation of a second Cowdria stock (W) was achieved after 226 days in culture, at which time passage 17 was tested in a recipient goat which died of typical heartwater. This is the first report of vaccination with live attenuated C. ruminantium. These attenuated organisms may replace vaccination with virulent blood currently in use in areas where heartwater is endemic.