Vaccination of Rabbits against Trichophytosis - an Experimental Study

Rybnikaf, A., J. Chumela. V. Vrzal, J. Nepefeny: Vaccination of Rabbits against Trichophytosis -An Experimental Study. Acta vet. Bmo 1998,67: 121-125. Protective efficacy ofTRICHOPELEN, a vaccine containing a living Trichophyton mentagrophytes strain, against experimental infection with T. mentagrophytes strain proved good. The vaccine showed a satisfactory effect after i.m. administration to 4-month old rabbits and after s.c. administration to 11to 14-day old rabbits. The efficacy ofTRICHOBEN AV, a vaccine containing a living T. verrucosum strain, against the heterologous species T. mentagrophytes was unsatisfactory. The vaccination T. mentllgrophytes strain survived in the inoculated muscle of experimental rabbits for 9 to 10 days. Examination of the lungs, liver, kidney, spleen, lymph node and blood samples for the presence of the vaccination strain yielded negative results. Trichophyton mentagrophytes. immunization. challenge. sun·ival of the vaccination strain Trichophyton mentagrophytes has been indicated as the main causative agent of skin mycoses in rabbits by a number of writers (B anks and Clarkson 1967; Nikiforov 1980; Englund et al. 1990). This species has been found by us to be the cause of the disease in several cases in large rabbit flocks in the Czech Republic (see Plate X., Fig. 1 and 2). In a major focus of trichophytosis the use a specific vaccine has proved to be one of the most effective means of controlling this infection (Rybn i kar et al. 1995). The present study was designed to find whether the vaccine TRICHOPELEN would confirm its good protective efficacy in rabbits challenged in a laboratory experiment. Another objective was to find whether a satisfactory protection of rabbits against infection with T. mentagrophytes could also be obtained with TRICHOBEN A V, a vaccine containing a T. verrucosum strain. Furthermore, we tested the possibility of using TRICHOPELEN in 11to 14-day old rabbits and examined their organs and tissues for the presence of the vaccination T. mentagrophytes strain. Materials and Methods The experimental animals were Large Chinchilla and Bohemian Pied rabbits from flocks without a history of trichophytosis. In experiment I. rabbits aged 4 months were divided into three groups: Group I animals were vaccinated i.m. twice into the hind limb muscle with 0.5 ml doses ofTRICHOPELEN, a lyophilized vaccine. containing a living T. mentagrophytes var. mentagropizytes CCM 8168 strain (manufactured by Bioveta Pic .. Ivanovice na Hane). Group 2 animals were vaccinated i.m. twice into the hind limb muscle with 0.5 ml doses ofTRICHOBEN AV, a lyophilized vaccine containing a living T. \'errucoslIIn strain (manufactured by Bioveta Pic .. Ivanovice na Hane). Address for correspondence: R:-.IDr. A. Rybnikat Bioveta. a.s. 68323 lvanovil.:e na Hane Ceskii republika Phone: + 420 507 363321 Fax: + 420 507 3b3294