Verification of the protective effect of a toxoid vaccine against edema disease of weaned piglets in an infection model
Awad-Masalmeh, M.; Schuh, M.; Köfer, J.; Quakyi, E.
Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 96(8): 419-421
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0341-6593 PMID: 2676452 Document Number: 339654
105 piglets (56 vaccinated and 49 control animals) were utilized in 6 consecutive experiments. Each used litter was divided randomly into vaccine and control animals. One week prior to weaning each of the 56 piglets of the vaccine groups received 5 mg of nonpurified toxin treated with glutaraldehyd subcutaneously whereas to the remaining 49 control animals an extract of apathogenic E. coli was administered. During the first 12 hours post weaning each of the 105 piglets was challenged perorally with 10(10) cfu of edema principle toxin producing germs of E. coli serogroup O 139. 23 animals of the control groups (46.9%) and one animal of vaccine groups (1.8%) died due to the infection between days four and five post challenge. These control animals showed classical clinical symptoms as well as pathological findings typical for edema disease. In contrast, such findings as mentioned before could not be observed in the vaccinated piglets. The remaining part of the control animals and eight of those vaccinated ones exhibited edema disease symptoms. The vaccinated animals have shed the challenge strain one to three days, while the survivals of control groups shed those germs for two to six days. The vaccinated piglets showed a better growth rate than the remaining control animals. Presented data suggest that our toxoid immunizing procedure can be used successfully against edema disease of swine.