Vaccination with recombinantClostridium perfringenstoxoids [alpha] and [beta] promotes elevated antepartum and passive humoral immunity in swine

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 31; no. 38; p. 4152
• Main Authors: Salvarani, Felipe M, Conceição, Fabricio R, Cunha, Carlos EP, Moreira, Gustavo MSG, Pires, Prhiscylla S, Silva, Rodrigo OS, Alves, Guilherme G, Lobato, Francisco CF
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Limited 28-08-2013
• Subjects: Agriculture; Animal production; Animals; Antigens; Antimicrobial agents; Antitoxins; Diarrhea; Dogs; Hogs; Immune response; Immunization; Infections; Proteins; Toxins; Vaccines
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.06.094
• EISSN: 1873-2518
• ISSN: 0264-410X

Due to the increasingly restricted use of antimicrobials in animal production systems, the prevention and control ofClostridium perfringenstype A- and C-induced diarrhea in piglets should be based on passive immunization via the prepartum vaccination of sows. Given the current obstacles in the production of conventional clostridial vaccines, the use of recombinant proteins has been considered to represent a promising alternative. In the present study, the neutralizing antibody response of immunized sows and their litters to a bivalent vaccine containing theC. perfringensrecombinant toxoids alpha (rTA) and beta (rTB) produced inEscherichia coliwas assessed. Rabbits (n=8) and pregnant sows (n=7) were immunized with 200[micro]g of each recombinant antigen using Al(OH)3as adjuvant. The alpha and beta antitoxin titer detected in the rabbits' serum pool was 9.6 and 20.4IU/mL, respectively. The mean alpha and beta antitoxin titers in the sows' sera were 6.0±0.9IU/mL and 14.5±2.2IU/mL, and the corresponding individual coefficients of variation (CV) were 16.04% and 14.91%, respectively. The mean alpha and beta antitoxin titers in the litters' serum pools were 4.2±0.4IU/mL and 10.9±1.7IU/mL, and the CV between litters was 9.23% and 9.85%, respectively. The results showed that the rTA and rTB proteins produced and tested in the present study induced an immune response and can be regarded as candidates for the development of a commercial vaccine againstC. perfringenstype A- and C-induced diarrhea in pigs.