Species identification and serotyping (capsular antigen) of Pasteurella strains from sheep flocks in south Germany and in Syria.
135 Pasteurella strains were cultivated from nasal swabs of sheep as well as pneumonic lungs of dead and slaughtered sheep. The specimen originated from 41 flocks in South Germany and from 15 flocks and 60 slaughter sheep in Syria (Hama region). Serovariety A2 prevailed amongst P. haemolytica strains (6) isolated in South Germany (53 strains) and in Syria (41 strains). In addition 10 further serovarieties were identified in South Germany (next frequent were A8, A1 and A6) and 7 in Syria. Untypable strains appeared to be more frequent in Syria. Other Pasteurellae (17) represented 1/4 of isolates in Syria and 1/3 of isolates in South Germany. Species identification resulted in P. multocida ssp. multocida (25), P. multocida ssp. septica (4 strains, Syria only), P. canis (3 strains, South Germany only) and Pasteurella-like strains (9 strains). Twelve P. multocida ssp. multocida strains carried capsular antigen D and 7 capsular antigen A. In most cases where multiple samples were examined from one flock, strains with different capsular antigens and/or belonging to different Pasteurella species were isolated (max. 8).
Efficacy of a capsule preparation and ultraviolet-killed Pasteurella haemolytica A1 vaccine in goats
Weanling male Spanish goats (n = 38) were randomly allotted to six treatment groups. Eight goats were positive controls; six goats were negative controls; six were given 2 transthoracic injections into the lung 21 d apart with 54 mg of purified Ph1 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) in agar beads; six had ultraviolet-killed Ph1 (1.4 × 109 CPU/ml) mixed with agar beads (Ph1-O); six had ultraviolet-killed Ph1 (8 × 109 CFU/ml) impregnated inside agar beads (Ph1-I); and six goats were given 2 subcutaneous injections 21 d apart with ultraviolet-killed Ph1 (8 × 109 CFU/ml) impregnated into agar beads (Ph1-I-SC). Thirteen d after the second injection all goats were challenge exposed to live Ph1 (1.93 × 108 CFU/ml) by transthoracic injection into the right lung, and 4 d later all goats were euthanatized and necropsied. 
 
Mean volume of consolidated lung tissue was: for the negative control group, 150.83 cm3; CPS group, 113.98 cm3; positive control group, 0.06 cm3; Ph1-O group, 11.68 cm3; Ph1-I group, 11.24 cm3; and Ph1-I-SC group, 33.47 cm3. There was a significant difference (P < 0.04) in lesion size among treatment groups. Mean values for treatment groups, positive control, Ph1-O, and Ph1-I were clustered together and all were considered immune. The Ph1-I-SC group was considered partially immune, and the NC and CPS groups were considered non-immune. All of the negative control goats died on d 35, five of the capsular group died by d 36. The transthoracicly injected, ultraviolet-irradiated whole cell bacterin, whether outside or inside the beads, was considered an excellent bacterin which induced solid immunity to a severe challenge exposure.
Pasteurellosis in sheep
Pasteurellosis is an important cause of economic loss to the sheep industry. There are two distinct syndromes. The pneumonic form of the disease caused by P haemolytica biotype A occurs as pneumonia in flocks and sporadically in individual sheep. The septicaemic form, caused by P haemolytica biotype T is associated with hyper-acute disease and occurs most commonly in the autumn coinciding with the folding of hoggs on rape, turnips and improved pastures. The factors which predispose sheep to the different forms of the disease are poorly understood but recently it has been possible to reproduce pasteurella pneumonia experimentally.