Passive protective effect of egg-yolk antibodies against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88+ infection in neonatal and early-weaned piglets.
The protective effects of egg-yolk antibodies obtained from hens immunized with fimbrial antigens from a local strain (Escherichia coli K88+ MB, Manitoba, Canada) of K88+ piliated enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) were evaluated in 3- and 21-day-old piglets in which ETEC diarrhea was induced and also in early-weaned piglets in a commercial farm. The results demonstrated that the E. coli K88+ MB-induced diarrhea in 3-day-old piglets was cured 24 h after treating with egg-yolk antibodies while those treated with egg-yolk powder from conventional hens continued to have diarrhea and 62.5% of them died of severe diarrhea. For 21-day-old weaned piglets, those fed egg-yolk antibodies had transient diarrhea, positive body weight gains and 100% survival during the period of the experiment, whereas control piglets that were treated with placebo had severe diarrhea and dehydration and some died within 48 h after infection. In the field trial, the incidence and severity of diarrhea of 14-18-day-old weaned piglets fed egg-yolk antibodies were much lower than in those fed a commercial diet containing an antibiotic. These results indicate that the neonatal and early-weaned piglets that received the egg-yolk antibodies were protected against ETEC infection.
Marquardt
R R
RR
Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. rr_marquardt@unmanitoba.ca
Jin
L Z
LZ
Kim
J W
JW
Fang
L
L
Frohlich
A A
AA
Baidoo
S K
SK
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000276:immunology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C026888:K88 antigen, E coli; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins