Comparison between three adjuvants for a vaccine against canine leishmaniasis: In vitro evaluation of macrophage killing ability

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in terms of dog macrophage killing ability in vitro, a vaccine based on Leishmania infantum promastigote soluble antigen (LSA) formulated with three different adjuvants (BCG, AdjuPrime™, MPL/TDM/CWS).A significant increase of the macrophage killing ability was observed in dogs vaccinated with LSA + MPL/TDM/CWS after 1 month from vaccination. A similar increase of macrophage parasitocidal ability was present only after 5 months in dogs vaccinated with LSA + BCG or LSA + AdjuPrime™. In all dogs the augmented killing percentage was still present after 12 months from vaccination. Therefore, in particular LSA + MPL/TDM/CWS vaccine seems promising for further studies in dogs.