ReviewStatus of the development of a vaccine against Mycoplasma bovis

- Vaccines for control and/or protection against M. bovis infections are discussed.
- Despite numerous efforts, bacterin-based vaccines are not successful on the field.
- More research is needed to identify recombinant proteins that confer protection.
- Reverse vaccinology approaches may aid in the selection of these recombinant proteins.

Mycoplasma bovis is an important pathogen of cattle and, despite numerous efforts an effective vaccine for control of the disease it causes remains elusive. Although we now know more about the biology of this pathogen, information is lacking about appropriate protective antigens, the type of immune response that confers protection and adjuvants selection. The use of conserved recombinant proteins, selected using in silico approaches, as components of a vaccine may be a better choice over bacterin-based vaccines due to the limited protection afforded by them and adverse reactions caused by them. More studies are needed on the characterization of host-pathogen interactions and to elucidate M. bovis products modulating these interactions. These products could be the basis for development of vaccines to control M. bovis infections in dairy farms and feedlots.