Histophilus somni

Lynette B. Corbeil, Corbeil, Lynette B.

Thomas J. Inzana

The pathogen surface is usually the first site of interaction with the host. Histophilus somni was earlier thought to only have an outer membrane on its surface. Now it is known that the surface is composed of many virulence factors, including outer membrane proteins, lipooligosaccharide or endotoxin, a fibrillar network, and an exopolysaccharide. Outer membrane blebs, endotoxin, the fibrillar network, and the exopolysaccharide are also shed from the surface. This review will focus on the surface proteins of this pathogen that may colonize the mucosal surface of ruminants as a commensal or may cause pneumonia, septicemia, myocarditis, thrombotic meningoencephalitis, arthritis, and/or abortion. The major outer membrane protein has been well studied. Since its size and epitopes vary from strain to strain, it may be useful for typing strains. Iron-regulated OMPs have also received much attention because of their role in iron uptake for in vivo growth of H. somni. Other OMPs may be protective, based on passive immunization with monospecific antibodies and active immunization experiments. The surface and shed fibrillar network has been shown to be an immunoglobulin-binding protein in that it binds bovine IgG2 by the Fc portion. Two repeat domains (DR1 and DR2) have cytotoxic Fic motifs. Vaccine studies with recombinant DR2 are promising. Studies of the bacterial genome as well as comparison of surface proteins of different strains from the various H. somni syndromes and carrier states will be discussed and have provided much insight into pathogenesis and protection.