Influence of medication on development of serum antibody to swine dysentery as detected with indirect fluorescent antibody method
Lee, C.H.; Olson, L.D.; Rodabaugh, D.E.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 37(10): 1159-1163
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9645 PMID: 136221 Document Number: 106403
Serum samples from 119 pigs exposed to swine dysentery inoculum, and treated with various drugs (ronidazole, lincomycin, spectinomycin, virginiamycin, sodium arsanilate and tylosin) were tested for antibodies to the large spirochaete, and compared with known positive serum samples from 18 untreated pigs which had recovered naturally. An inverse relationship existed between the efficacy of the drug and the serum antibody titre (highest dilution of the serum producing immunofluorescence of large spirochaetes). The more efficacious drugs or doses resulted in lesser development of serum antibody. Diarrhoea usually seemed necessary for the development of serum antibody. With the less efficacious drugs, there were more days of diarrhoea. Some pigs had diarrhoea but did not develop an antibody titre, and a few had a titre but did not develop diarrhoea. Those which developed a titre were more immune against reexposure with infective inoculum. The drugs, especially those given at higher concentrations, seemed to resolve the diarrhoea or prevent the development of diarrhoea, occurrences which were necessary for the development of immunity.