Intranasal BCG vaccination protects BALB/c mice against virulentMycobacterium bovisand accelerates production of IFN-γ in their lungs

SummaryLocal immune reactivity in the lungs of BALB/c mice was studied following (i) intranasal (i.n.) vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis BCG, (ii) intravenous (i.v.) challenge with a virulent M. bovis field isolate and (iii) i.n. vaccination with M. bovis BCG followed by i.v. challenge with an M. bovis field isolate. The results demonstrated that i.n. vaccination with BCG induced a high degree of protection against systemic M. bovis challenge, and that this protection correlated with a rapid production of IFN-γ after M. bovis challenge by lung T cells from vaccinated mice.