Development of a novel in-water vaccination protocol for DNA adenine methylase deficient Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine in adult sheep

Intensive livestock production is associated with an increased incidence of salmonellosis. The risk of infection and the subsequent public health concern is attributed to increased pathogen exposure and disease susceptibility due to multiple stressors experienced by livestock from farm to feedlot. Traditional parenteral vaccine methods can further stress susceptible populations and cause carcass damage, adverse reactions, and resultant increased production costs. As a potential means to address these issues, in-water delivery of live attenuated vaccines affords a low cost, low-stress method for immunization of livestock populations that is not associated with the adverse handling stressors and injection reactions associated with parenteral administration. We have previously established that in-water administration of a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium dam vaccine conferred significant protection in livestock. While these experimental trials hold significant promise, the ultimate measure of the vaccine will not be established until it has undergone clinical testing in the field wherein environmental and sanitary conditions are variable. Here we show that in-water administration of a S. Typhimurium dam attenuated vaccine was safe, stable, and well-tolerated in adult sheep. The dam vaccine did not alter water consumption or vaccine dosing; remained viable under a wide range of temperatures (21-37°C); did not proliferate within fecal-contaminated trough water; and was associated with minimal fecal shedding and clinical disease as a consequence of vaccination. The capacity of Salmonella dam attenuated vaccines to be delivered in drinking water to protect livestock from virulent Salmonella challenge offers an effective, economical, stressor-free Salmonella prophylaxis for intensive livestock production systems.