Abstract
BackgroundClostridium perfringens type C induced necrotizing enteritis (NE) causes high mortality in newborn piglets. Immunization programs employing commercially available vaccines are used to prevent disease. Sows are vaccinated during every gestation period and piglets take up antibodies from the colostrum. Antibodies against the major clostridial toxin beta-toxin (CPB) are considered essential for protective immunity. Because the pathogen can persist for several years on farms, continuous vaccination is essential to protect pig herds from the re-occurrence of NE.ResultsIn two field trials using commercially available vaccines we monitored neutralizing anti-CPB antibodies in pigs after vaccination. The first trial compared antibody titers in primiparous (gilts) and multiparous sows and their piglets after vaccination. A proportion of gilts and their piglets’ showed no or low antibody titers. All multiparous sows developed significantly higher serum and colostrum antibody titers after a booster vaccination shortly before their next farrowing. These colostral antibody titer highly correlated with the serum antibody titer of their piglets after consumption of colostrum. In a second field trial, we adapted the vaccination schemes using 3 instead of 2 initial vaccinations before the first farrowing of gilts. This significantly increased serum and colostrum antibody titers in gilts and serum antibody titers in piglets.ConclusionWe demonstrate that despite following recommended vaccination protocols, a proportion of gilts might not sufficiently seroconvert to provide efficient passive immunity to their offsprings. A simple adaptation of the vaccination scheme can however improve passive protection of piglets from NE.
Highlights
Clostridium perfringens type C induced necrotizing enteritis (NE) causes high mortality in newborn piglets
The study was conducted to evaluate regular vaccination practices used on these farms and rather than to compare different vaccines, we grouped all vaccinated sows independent of their origin and the vaccine used anticipating that the source of vaccine has no effect
On farms A-C, which continuously vaccinated against C. perfringens type C enteritis, 4 out of the total 9 gilts, gained no neutralizing anti-C. perfringens beta-toxin (CPB) antibody titers in serum or colostrum samples
Summary
Clostridium perfringens type C induced necrotizing enteritis (NE) causes high mortality in newborn piglets. Sows are vaccinated during every gestation period and piglets take up antibodies from the colostrum. Because the pathogen can persist for several years on farms, continuous vaccination is essential to protect pig herds from the re-occurrence of NE. Protection against NE is achieved by vaccination of sows with commercially available type C toxoid vaccines [2, 3]. Because C. perfringens type C can persist on farms over long periods, long-term vaccination should remain despite the eradication of the disease from once affected herds [4, 5]. The applied vaccination scheme can influence the levels of antibodies in sow colostrum and milk, and protection against disease [12, 13]. Failure of piglets to receive adequate amounts of protective antibodies via colostrum and milk, trypsin secretion deficiencies in piglets, and colostral trypsin inhibitors are factors discussed to contribute to such outbreaks [1]
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