Overview of Research
In the USDA Infectious Bacterial Diseases Unit
Workshop: An Integrated Approach to Controlling Brucellosis
in Africa, Addis Ababa, 29-31 January 2013
Dr. Steven OlsenDr. Steven Olsen
National Animal Disease CenterNational Animal Disease Center
Ames, IA 50010Ames, IA 50010

USDA Animal Health Facilities andUSDA Animal Health Facilities and
ExpertiseExpertise
State-of-the-art:State-of-the-art:
•ABSL2 and ABSL3 smallABSL2 and ABSL3 small
and large animal facilitiesand large animal facilities
•BSL3 Agriculture largeBSL3 Agriculture large
animal facilityanimal facility
Animal care and facilitiesAnimal care and facilities
operations expertise thatoperations expertise that
supports high-containmentsupports high-containment
research in all majorresearch in all major
livestock and severallivestock and several
wildlife specieswildlife species

abortusabortus) in the United) in the United
StatesStates
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 1999
1991
2011

Lipopolysaccharide structureLipopolysaccharide structure
of virulent and vaccine strainsof virulent and vaccine strains
Lipid A
Brucella abortus strain 19
Brucella abortus field strains
Brucella abortus strain RB51
Sugars O-side chainKDO
Lipid A KDO Sugars O-side chain
Lipid A SugarsKDO
The O-side chain is the immunodominant antigen
of Brucella for antibody responses

Efficacy of RB51 as aEfficacy of RB51 as a
Calfhood Vaccine for CattleCalfhood Vaccine for Cattle
Age at
Vaccination
Protection from abortion
RB51 Strain 19 Control
% protected (# aborted/ #challenged)
10 months 100% (0/20) 100% (0/6) 45% (6/11)
7 months 100% (0/22) 100% (0/5) 63% (4/11)
5-6 months 92% (2/25) 100% (0/4) 57% (6/14)
3 months 87% (2/15) 100% (0/4) 50% (5/10)
Overall 95% (4/82) 100% (0/19) 54% (21/46)

Distribution of Feral Swine in theDistribution of Feral Swine in the
USUS
GPS mapping at http://128.192.20.53/infsms/

Brucellosis in the GreaterBrucellosis in the Greater
Yellowstone Area (GYA)Yellowstone Area (GYA)

= =
Variance in ImmunologicVariance in Immunologic
Responses between RuminantsResponses between Ruminants
=
=

“Lysine decarboxylase”
Ab GAAGATGTGA GGAGTAGGGC AGTAGGGC AGT::::: :::::::: ::::::: ::::AAAGA
Mel GAAGATGTGA GGAGTAGGGC AGT::::: :::::::: :::::::: ::::::: ::::AAAGA
Suis GAAGATGTGA GGAGTAGGGC AGTAGGGC AGTAGGGC AGTAGGGC AGTAGGGC AGTAAAGA

Alleles(numberofrepeatunitsperlocus)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
So.California
So.Florida
Cent.Florida
Alabam
Kansas
Arkansas
Elk-WY
Oklahoma
Elk-MT
Bison-MT
Cent.Florida
Cent.Florida
14 1717 2121 1616 1919
VNTR-1VNTR-1 VNTR-2VNTR-2 VNTR-3VNTR-3 VNTR-4VNTR-4 VNTR-5VNTR-5 VNTR-6VNTR-6 VNTR-7VNTR-7 VNTR-8VNTR-8 VNTR-9VNTR-9 VNTR-10VNTR-10