Kennel cough vaccine

Abstract

Improved, low cost vaccines for administration to living subjects such as mammals and birds are provided, which include killed recombinantly modified microorganisms (whole cell recombinant bacterin vaccine), the latter including recombinant DNA encoding at least one protective protein (e.g., an antigenic protein) which has been expressed by the microorganisms prior to killing thereof. The protective protein(s) are operable to prevent or reduce the severity of a disease of the subject. The vaccine preparations of the invention do not require separation of the protective protein(s) from the host recombinant microorganism(s), thereby materially decreasing the complexity and cost of the vaccine formulations. A preferred vaccine against kennel cough includes recombinantly modified microorganisms which express protective antigens containing pertactin and filamentous hemagglutinin protein products.

1 . A kennel cough immunogenic composition for administration dogs and comprising an effective amount of recombinantly modified and killed bacteria, said bacteria including therein a transformed or transfected recombinant DNA expression vector having DNA encoding at least one protective protein selected from the group consisting of pertactin and filamentous hemagglutinin proteins, fragments of such proteins, and mixtures thereof and which has been expressed by the bacteria prior to killing thereof, said effective amount of said bacteria capable of inducing an immune response in said dogs. 
     
     
         2 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 1 , including more than one different bacteria. 
     
     
         3 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 1 , said bacteria being  E. coli.    
     
     
         4 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 1 , said expression vector being a plasmid vector within said bacteria. 
     
     
         5 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 1 , said protective protein being a recombinant protein or fusion protein. 
     
     
         6 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 1 , including a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 1 , including an adjuvant. 
     
     
         8 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 1 , said immunogenic composition including bacteria which express fusion proteins including protein fragments selected from the group consisting of SEQ IDS Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and mixtures thereof.