Immune response in rams experimentally infected with Brucella ovis

Cellular as well as humoral immune responses were detected in six rams experimentally infected with Brucella ovis. Specific antibodies were detectable by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay by day 11 after infection in all the rams. The levels of IgM antibodies and total antibodies in the serum rose until 33 and 41 days after infection respectively, then levelled off. Antigen-induced blastogenic responses by lymphocytes developed as early as five days after infection in all rams but had decreased to low levels by day 63 in most. Blastogenesis induced by phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A varied among infected rams and did not differ significantly (P>0·05) from control rams. All rams had developed delayed-type skin hypersensitivity by day 63 after infection. One ram which did not become infected as a result of exposure had low levels of B ovis serum antibodies and a detectable antigen-induced lymphocyte blastogenic response before infection, suggesting the involvement of cell-mediated immunity in protection against B ovis.