Isolated Strains of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Interfere with Immune Responses Associated with Mycobacterium Bovis BCG Vaccination

Prior exposure of a vaccine to certain species of environmental mycobacteria can prime the immune system against common mycobacterial antigens, which can in turn reduce the subsequent efficacy of live attenuated mycobacterial vaccines (such as Mycobacterium bovis BCG), in both human and livestock vaccination programs. In this study, five strains of nontubeculous mycobacterium, all isolated from lymphonodi mandibulares and lymphonodi mesenterici samples of swine and cattle, were investigated to determine their growth characteristics and effects on the immune system in murine models. Markedly, different effects on the immune system were observed. The different results may be linked to the inherent growth characteristics of the five strains, The implications of these findings for BCG vaccination protocols are discussed.