Abstract:

Comparison of antibody production, lymphocyte stimulation, and protection induced by four commercial Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae bacterins

Eileen L. Thacker, DVM, PhD; Brad J. Thacker, DVM, PhD; Tamara B. Boettcher, DVM; H. Jayappa, MVSc, PhD

Complete article is available online.

PDF version is available online.

Objectives: To compare the ability of four commercial Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae bacterins to stimulate humoral and cellular immune responses against a mycoplasmal membrane preparation and the level of protection induced against experimental challenge.

Methods: Five groups (n=10) of 2-week-old crossbred pigs with no antibodies to M. hyopneumoniae were vaccinated with one of four commercial M. hyopneumoniae bacterins or with saline at 3 and 5 weeks of age. Lymphocyte stimulation assays and serum antibody concentrations were measured on -7, 28, and 45 post vaccination days (PVD). The pigs were challenged with M. hyopneumoniae strain 11 on PVD 51 and necropsied on PVD 78.

Results: Lymphocyte stimulation and the antibody titers induced by the four bacterins differed significantly among the five experimental groups. In addition, the number of pigs seroconverting in response to vaccination varied among groups. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated differences in the number of M. hyopneumoniae proteins that induced antibodies. The group mean percent of pneumonic lungs did not differ among the vaccinated pigs.

Implications: The inconsistent immune response observed in this study may be an important source of susceptible populations of pigs. All vaccines evaluated induced some protection from clinical pneumonia; however, the variation in antibody concentrations and the protection induced among pigs was considerable and may be important in herd management.

Keywords: Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, vaccine, cell-mediated immunity


RIS citationCite as: Thacker EL, Thacker BJ, Boettcher TB, et al. Comparison of antibody production, lymphocyte stimulation, and protection induced by four commercial Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae bacterins. J Swine Health Prod 1998;6(3):107-112.

Search the AASV web site for pages with similar keywords.