Antibody Responses of Vaccinated and Nonvaccinated Calves to Haemophilus somnus

Respiratory disease resulting from infection of calves with Haemophilus somnus (H. somnus) is an annual occurrence in fall calves at the McNay Farm. Previous observations of skin test reactivity to H. somnus antigens suggested a role for this phenomenon in the pathogenesis of the disease. Groups of calves, about 90 days of age, were vaccinated with four different commercial H. somnus vaccines, and serum levels of H. somnus antibodies were determined. Antibodies of the IgG and IgE classes were detected with ELISA procedures conducted on sera collected before and after vaccination. Most of the calves had detectable H. somnus IgE class antibodies at the start of the experimentation but IgG class antibodies were minimal. Antibodies of both classes increased in nonvaccinated and vaccinated calves during the 30 day period of experimentation. However, the level of IgE class antibodies in vaccinates was lower than in controls suggesting that vaccination may limit the IgE response.