Assessment of genetic stability of Brucella melitensis Rev 1 vaccine strain by multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis

Vaccine. 2007 Apr 12;25(15):2858-62. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.09.063. Epub 2006 Oct 5.

Abstract

The assessment of the genetic stability is one of the essential elements to guarantee the biological quality of live anti-bacteria vaccines. Live attenuated Brucella melitensis Rev 1 is the most effective vaccine against brucellosis in small ruminants. Thirty-six B. melitensis Rev 1 vaccine strains isolated from human or animal sources from different geographic regions, from different commercial batches or laboratory collections were typed by the multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) recently described for Brucella spp. Our results demonstrated that B. melitensis Rev 1 group as assayed by MLVA is genetically very homogeneous. We believe that MLVA methodology could be an essential assay to guarantee the quality and stability of live anti-bacterial vaccines being produced worldwide and can be included as in vitro control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Vaccines / genetics*
  • Brucella / genetics*
  • Brucella / immunology
  • Brucellosis / virology*
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Genomic Instability*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Minisatellite Repeats*
  • Ruminants

Substances

  • Bacterial Vaccines
  • Rev.1 vaccine, Brucella melitensis