The possibility of positive selection for both F18(+)Escherichia coli and stress resistant pigs opens new perspectives for pig breeding.
F18(+)Escherichia coli infections causing post-weaning diarrhoea and/or oedema disease are a major cause of economic losses in pig industry. To date, no preventive strategy can protect pigs from F18(+)E. coli infections. One of the most attractive approaches to eliminate F18(+)E. coli infections is the selection for pigs that are resistant to F18(+)E. coli infections. However, this strategy was not believed to be favourable because of reports of genetic association with the stress-susceptibility gene in the Swiss Landrace. To investigate this potential association more thoroughly, 131 randomly selected Belgian hybrid pigs were genotyped for both the F18(+)E. coli resistance alleles (FUT1(A)) and the stress-susceptibility alleles (RYR1(T)) and their association was investigated by determining the linkage disequilibrium. This linkage disequilibrium (LD=-0.0149) is close to zero and does not differ significantly from 0 (likelihood ratio test chi(1)(2)=1.123, P=0.29), demonstrating no association between the FUT1(A) and RYR1(T) alleles. Furthermore, only a small fraction (4.6%) of the Belgian pigs was found to be resistant to F18(+)E. coli infections. Our results suggest that selection for F18(+)E. coli resistant pigs might be an attractive approach to prevent pigs from F18(+)E. coli infections, unlike to what has previously been postulated.
Laboratory of Veterinary Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Annelies
A
Coddens
Frank
F
Verdonck
Martin
M
Mulinge
Els
E
Goyvaerts
Cora
C
Miry
Bruno
B
Goddeeris
Luc
L
Duchateau
Eric
E
Cox
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics*
D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C113053:FedA protein, E coli; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins