Table 1.

Immunization with OMV or rrPorB fails to protect female mice from genital infection by FA1090.

Vaccination regimen	Route	N	Days infected (Mean ± SD)	p value
Mock-PBS	Dorsal SQ	13	7.23 ± 2.68
rmp OMV	Intranasal	8	7.50 ± 3.16	0.77
rrPorB	Dorsal SQ	10	7.10 ± 3.93	0.89
rrPorB	Footpad	8	5.50 ± 2.52	0.21

BALB/c mice were prepared in groups of 15 as described by Jerse (1999). Immunizations were conducted three times at intervals of 3 weeks, using either 20 μg protein of an Rmp mutant of FA1090 OMV (rmp OMV) in 20 μl of PBS; or 10 μg protein of recombinant renatured PorB from FA1090 (rrPorB) prepared as described by Matsuka et al. (1998) mixed 1:1 in 10 μl PBS with Ribi-700 adjuvant, delivered either by the dorsal or footpad route. Three weeks after the last boost, mice in diestrus phase were implanted with an estradiol pellet and treated with antibiotics to reduce the normal vaginal flora (Jerse, 1999). Two days later they were inoculated intravaginally with 1 × 10⁶ CFU of FA1090, and followed with daily quantitative vaginal cultures. Days to last positive culture are shown. Log rank was used to compare the results between the groups. A weak but repeatable trend was observed for protection only in the rrPorB in Ribi delivered by footpad vaccine regimen.