Development of Novel Vaccination Strategies for the Control of Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli in Cattle

Enterohaemorrhagic E.coli (EHEC) are emerging zoonotic pathogens and cattle are a major reservoir of human infections. No vaccine for the control of EHEC in cattle is available. Recent work in our laboratory and elsewhere has led to the identification of two factors that influence intestinal colonisation by EHEC, namely intimin and lymphostatin. We propose to assess the potential of sub-unit vaccines based on these factors for controlling EHEC colonisation in cattle. The efficacy of intimin and lymphostatin polypeptides adjuvated with native E.coli heat-labile toxin or an oil-water mix will be compared following mucosal and parenteral immunisation. This strategy has the potential to reduce carriage of EHEC in farm animal hosts.