AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE www.arccjournals.com/www.ijaronline.in *Corresponding author’s e-mail: dasmousam001@gmail.com. Indian J. Anim. Res., 50 (3) 2016:411-414 Print ISSN:0367-6722 / Online ISSN:0976-0555 Immunomodulatory effect of levamisole on PPR vaccine in goats and change in haematological profile Mousam Das*, D.P. Isore, S.N. Joardar, I. Samanta and S.K. Mukhopadhayay Department of Veterinary Microbiology, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata-700 037, India. Received: 20-01-2014 Accepted: 27-05-2014 DOI: 10.18805/ijar.5723 ABSTRACT Levamisole is an anthelmintic and synthetic immunomodulator. Effect of levamisole on PPR vaccine in goat model was evaluated in this study. Healthy, sero negative for PPR infection 12 Black Bengal goats were divided into three groups. Levamisole was injected @ 2.5 mg/kg b.wt. and @ 5.0 mg/kg b.wt. in two groups respectively. After seven days all animals were vaccinated with PPR cell culture vaccine. Blood samples were collected from animals at 0 day, 7 th day, 14 th day, 21 st day and 30 th day. Serum was separated and used in indirect ELISA for qualitative and quantitative assay of antibody titer. EDTA mixed blood sample was used for determination of immunity induced blood cells number. Antibody titer and immunity induced blood cells number were more in the Levamisole and vaccine treated groups than only vaccine treated group. So, levamisole acted as an immunomodulator when it was used prior PPR vaccine in goats. Key words: Goats, Immunomodulator, Levamisole, PPR vaccine. INTRODUCTION Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is OIE (Office International des Epizooties) group-A notifiable disease in small ruminants such as sheep and goats. It is usually more severe in goats than in sheep. The mortality rate of 50% or more was recorded as susceptible goat populations (Abu Elzein et al ., 1990; Joshi et al ., 1996). The live attenuated freeze dried vaccine prepared by growing Peste des petits ruminant (PPR) virus (Sungri 96 strain) in Vero cell culture (Singh et al., 2010) is used to protect sheep and goats against the PPR viral disease in West Bengal. Levamisole (marketed as the hydrochloride salt) is an anthelmintic and synthetic immunomodulator (Raa, 1996) belonging to a class of synthetic imidazothiazole derivatives. An immunomodulator may be given alone or it may be administered together with other substances (e.g. Vaccine components) to alter both the non-specific defense mechanisms and the specific immune response (Anderson, 1992). It is believed that, it restores cell-mediated immune function in peripheral T lymphocytes and stimulates phagocytosis by monocytes. In India PPR virus infection in goats occur throughout the year. So, it is necessary to give a strong protection against PPR virus infection. This study was done to determine the immunomodulatory effect of levamisole on PPR vaccine in goats, comparative immunomodulation study of levamisole at different dose, and quantitative assay of antibody. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental animal’s selection: Healthy, sero negative for PPR infection 12 Black Bengal goats at the age of between 6 months to 1 year were taken and they were observed for 21 days. Proper deworming was done and there was no history of PPR infection. They were divided in three groups gr. A, gr. B and gr. C (4 goats in each group). Blood and serum collection: Goats were used for injecting levamisole (HELMONIL-C-15mg/ml, Vetnex Animal Health Limited, New Delhi) subcutaneously @ 2.5 mg/kg b.wt. in gr. A and @ 5.0 mg/kg b.wt. in gr. B in 1day interval total 3doses/animal. Levamisole was not injected in gr. C. After seven days interval of last dose of levamisole all the animals were vaccinated with freeze dried live attenuated PPR cell culture vaccine (PPR virus sungri 96 strain, Institution of Animal Health &Veterinary Biologicals, Kolkata) which was diluted in 100 ml 0.85% normal saline solution and injected @ 1 ml/animal subcutaneously. Blood was collected in plain clot vial and EDTA vial from the day of vaccination from all groups of animals at 0 day, 7 th day, 14 th day, 21 st day and 30 th day. Serum was collected from the clotted blood samples and preserved at -20°C until processing.