Course of secondary humoral immune response shortly after revaccination with BHK-21 cell culture inactivated rabies vaccine adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide

Abstract

The phenomenon of "in vivo" blocking effect of antigen, due to the presence of rabies specific neutralizing antibodies in previously vaccinated cattle, and its possible interference on the humoral immunologic response to revaccination was investigated in five zebu-crossbred bovines reared in field condition. The secondary vaccination was performed 180 days from the first immunization, using a commercial inactivated rabies vaccine prepared in BHK-21 cells. Serum samples were taken sequentially after each vaccine administration at intervals of 0 (zero), 24 and 72 hours, and after 7 and 14 days for the determination of neutralizing antibodies. The mean neutralizing antibody titer determined for sera taken immediately before the first vaccination was < 1:5, at 24 and 72 hours post-vaccination, < 1:6.25; the mean value found at 7 days post-vaccination was 1:144 ± 51;and 1:3,460 ± 1,329, at 14 days post-vaccination with mean titer of 1:58 ± 14; 24 hours after revaccination the mean titer was 1:129 ± 80, raising forwardly to1:277 ± 161, at 72 hours post-revaccination, and increasing levels > 1:6,400 and > 1:25,600 were found at 7 and 14 days post-revaccination, evidenciating a full anamnestic response. The blocking effect of antigen and the consequent fall in antibody levels shortly after the revaccination was not observed.