A clostridial vaccine is a

vaccine A vaccine is a biological Dosage form, preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease, infectious or cancer, malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verifie ...

for sheep and cattle that protects against diseases caused by toxins produced by an infection with one or more ''

Clostridium ''Clostridium'' is a genus of anaerobic, Gram-positive bacteria. Species of ''Clostridium'' inhabit soils and the intestinal tract of animals, including humans. This genus includes several significant human pathogens, including the causative ag ...

'' bacteria. Clostridial vaccines are often administered to pregnant ewes a few weeks before they are due to give birth, in order to give

passive immunity Passive immunity is the transfer of active humoral immunity of ready-made antibodies. Passive immunity can occur naturally, when maternal antibodies are transferred to the fetus through the placenta, and it can also be induced artificially, when hi ...

to their lambs. Clostridial bacteria multiply rapidly in infected sheep, and produce large amounts of toxin which can cause the sheep to die within hours. Clostridial vaccines can contain anti-toxins to one or more endotoxins produced by the following bacteria: * ''

Clostridium chauvoei ''Clostridium chauvoei'' is an anaerobic, motile, Gram-positive bacterium. It is a soil-borne pathogen that can cause blackleg in cattle and sheep. It is named after Auguste Chauveau, a French bacteriologist and veterinarian. It is mainly cons ...

'' * '' Clostridium haemolyticum'' * ''

Clostridium novyi ''Clostridium novyi'' (oedematiens) a Gram-positive, endospore- forming, obligate anaerobic bacteria of the class Clostridia. It is ubiquitous, being found in the soil and faeces. It is pathogenic, causing a wide variety of diseases in man and an ...

'' * ''

Clostridium perfringens ''Clostridium perfringens'' (formerly known as ''C. welchii'', or ''Bacillus welchii'') is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic, spore-forming pathogenic bacterium of the genus '' Clostridium''. ''C. perfringens'' is ever-present in nature an ...

'' * ''

Clostridium septicum ''Clostridium septicum'' is a gram positive, spore forming, obligate anaerobic bacterium. ''Clostridium septicum'' can cause gas gangrene, but unlike other Clostridium species like ''Clostridium perfringens'', no trauma is necessary at the sit ...

'' * ''

Clostridium sordellii ''Paeniclostridium sordellii'' is a rare anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming rod with peritrichous flagella that is capable of causing pneumonia, endocarditis, arthritis, peritonitis, and myonecrosis. ''C. sordellii'' bacteremia and sepsis ...

'' * ''

Clostridium tetani ''Clostridium tetani'' is a common soil bacterium and the causative agent of tetanus. Vegetative cells of ''Clostridium tetani'' are usually rod-shaped and up to 2.5 μm long, but they become enlarged and tennis racket- or drumstick-shaped when ...

'' Clostridial vaccines which protect sheep against multiple clostridial diseases have been available since the 1950s.

References

Animal vaccines Sheep and goat diseases {{Veterinary-med-stub