Swine fever. Immunisation of piglets

Vaccination against Swine Fever using the CL Chinese strain can be done in 7-day-old piglets if they are born of non-immune sows. The simultaneous weaning and vaccination emphasises the safety of this strain. The excellent immunity observed confirms the immunocompetence of 7-day-old piglets. In piglets born of immune sows and also weaned at 7 days, passive protection can extend beyond the age of 2 months if the sow is vaccinated several months prior to gestation. The immune level of the piglets would seem to depend on the interval between vaccination of the sow and farrowing and can be attributed to the quality of the antibodies transmitted by the colostrum. Piglets born of sows vaccinated 10 months prior to farrowing can be vaccinated as early as 5 weeks; the protection percentage observed at the age of about 6 months is over 80%. A booster injection at this age then confers immunity to future breeders throughout their economic life, i.e. 4 years in the reported experiment.     

Immunizing efficacy of Toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from different hostsEfficacite d'immunisation par differentes souches de Toxoplasma gondii isolees de differents hotes

Studies were carried out to determine the fate of virulent Toxoplasma gondii challenge in immune animals. Toxoplasma strains isolated from human, swine, rabbit and cat hosts were used for the primary immunization of mice. Brains were removed at various intervals after the challenge and subinoculated into normal mice. Prior immunization with one of the nine toxoplasma strains enabled the mice either to eliminate or harbour the challenge organisms without loss of virulence. The outcome of challenge infection was dependent on the parasite strain used for the immunization and the time interval between challenge and subinoculation. Mice immunized with strain KSU isolated from a cat eliminated repeatedly administered challenge from 80% of animals. Strain S 162 isolated from a swine eliminated similar challenge from only 20% of animals. The results indicate that the extent of protection against virulent T. gondii can vary widely and is related to the immunogenicity of the original immunizing strain.     

Caractérisation directe deRhizoctonia solani Kühn AG3 à partir de sclérotes sur tubercules de pomme de terre par deux méthodes sérologiques

Résumé Les antisérums sont obtenus en immunisant deux lapins par voie intraveineuse avec des antigènes purifiés par chromatographie d'échange d'ions. On utilise deux préparations d'extraits mycéliens: normale et chauffée. La spécificité des anticorps obtenus est appréciée sur différentes souches deRhizoctonia. Deux techniques sérologiques sont utilisées: immunodiffusion et ELISA indirect. Les deux immunsérums obtenus présentent la même spécificité vis-à-vis du groupe AG3. Les deux techniques permettent la reconnaissance du groupe AG3 à partir des sclérotes formés sur tubercules.

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Summary Total mycelial extract ofR. solani AG3 was purified by ion-exchange chromatography. Beforehand part of the extract was heat-treated at 60°C for 10 min (Ch) and the rest left untreated (N). Results of the chromatographic analysis are given in Fig. 3. Electrophoretic analysis of the peak fractions is shown in Fig. 2. Peak C was chosen as antigen for the preparation of the two antisera by intravenous injections in two rabbits. Antibodies obtained were titrated in both cases by immunodiffusion and in indirect ELISA (Fig. 4). Specificity was examined by immunodiffusion and ELISA on heat-treated extracts of reference strains listed in Table 1. Similar results were obtained for the two antisera which were both specific to AG3 (Fig. 1 and Table 2). Characterisation tests were done by the two methods directly on sclerotia of tubers of different cultivars and origins harvested in 1991 (Table 3). The purified antigens appeared to be of a complex nature (peptides-polysaccharides) and were very immunogenic. Antibodies raised against them were sufficiently specific as to allow the identification ofR. solani AG3 sclerotica on tubers.

     

Further cases of equine sex chromosome abnormalities

Sex chromosome abnormalities have been detected in a further five mares with clinical histories of small ovaries and absent or irregular oestrous cycles. Three mares had 63,XO karyotypes (X monosomy) and two were sex chromosome mosaics with karyotypes of 63,XO/64,XY and 63,XO/64,XX/64,XY respectively. A sex chromosome abnormality (X monosomy) has also been found in a filly where it was suspected because of her short stature.     

Effect on systemic antibody concentrations of topical application of choleratoxin to skin of sheep

OBJECTIVE: To examine the ability of a vaccine formulation combining choleratoxin with an experimental antigen to induce a systemic antibody response when applied topically on unbroken skin of sheep. DESIGN: Seven treatment groups of five adult sheep received systemic or topical priming followed 4 weeks later by systemic or topical boosting with choleratoxin and/or bovine serum albumin. Topical vaccines were administered to clipped skin on the ventral abdomen for 2 h. Booster immunisations were repeated 8 weeks after initial boosting. Serum antibody titres to choleratoxin and bovine serum albumin were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: An antibody response to choleratoxin was observed in serum, but no antibody response to bovine serum albumin was detected. CONCLUSION: Transdermal delivery may be feasible for livestock vaccines, however, further work is necessary to develop formulations that induce protective immunity by this route.     

Production of dialysable leukocytes extracts in cattle (author's transl)

Seven cows, one of which is negative control, have been immunized by a Measles' antigen and/or a brucella antigen.All of them have presented a specific immunization answer against one or both antigens used for their immunization and against those single antigens.The immunization control has been effected by some serological methods and by the inhibition of leukocyte migration test.The best immunization has been obtained by the injection of live Measles virus, Schwartz strain alone, or by the Brucella abortus B19 strain alone, when the administration of both strains showed a less intense immunization.In return, the simultaneous administration of the inactivated Schwartz strain and the live B19 strain has permitted the correct immunization of the animals, but only at the time of their second reimmunization.     

Passive immunisation of post-weaned piglets using hyperimmune serum against experimental Haemophilus parasuis infection

The protective role of hyperimmune serum in the prevention of Haemophilus parasuis infections in post-weaned piglets was assessed by experimental challenge. The hyperimmune serum was obtained from a pig vaccinated with a commercial vaccine against Glässer’s disease. Thirty-eight weaned piglets were divided into four groups: three groups were immunised intramuscularly with 10 ml of hyperimmune serum and one group consisted of unimmunised control animals. All piglets were subsequently infected intraperitoneally with H. parasuis serotype 5 at different times after immunisation. The use of hyperimmune serum provided the piglets with partial protection against experimental infection. The levels of protection indirectly depend on time between serum inoculation and challenge infection. The best protection of piglets against experimental infection was obtained in the group immunised 1 week before inoculation; the same group in which the highest levels of antibodies were detected at the time of challenge.     

Immunization against respiratory diseases in cats.

The studies we carried out on respiratory diseases concerned inactivated vaccines administered by the parenteral route and which safety and potency had been clearly established. The immunity we evidenced is a humoral general (and certainly cellular) immunity.An additional aim is under investigation: the development of a local immunity.We are working on the development of a vaccine with attenuated live virus, that may be administered by the oculo—nasal route and used in association with an inactivated vaccine.Numerous experiments are presently carried out to check the safety and potency of this live vaccine and determine the optimum scheme of vaccination.     

The Chemistry of Benzothiadiazole Plant Activators

Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) is an inducible resistance mechanism in plants that, together with other defence mechanisms, provides broad-spectrum and long-lasting disease control. With novel screening techniques the benzo[1,2,3]thiadiazole-7-carboxylic acid derivatives have been identified as a new class of chemicals which stimulate the plant's own defence mechanisms. The synthesis and biological activities of various benzo[1,2,3]thiadiazoles and related structures are described. S-Methyl benzo[1,2,3]thiadiazole-7-carbothioate is the first synthetic chemical ‘plant activator’ that has been developed for this novel disease control concept. © 1997 SCI     

Intestinal and serum antibody response in gnotobiotic piglets to oral immunization with Escherichia coli

The local and systemic immune response to a formolized E. coli oral vaccine was investigated in 13 gnotobiotic piglets. Beginning at ten days of age animals received a daily dose of 10¹⁰ or 10¹¹ bacteria, on ten consecutive days. Intestinal loop tests with one animal of each group on day 26 showed protection which was more pronounced in the animal dosed 10¹⁰ bacteria compared with the other immunized piglet. Immunoglobulin class-specific antibodies to O and K antigens were determined by ELISA technique. In serum no IgG or IgA antibodies were found, whereas IgM-anti O149 antibodies in both immunized groups reached their highest level at day 4 of dosing and decreased thereafter. IgM-anti K88 antibodies were first detected at day 10 of dosing. Both immunized groups had comparable serum levels at days 20 and 30. Also in gut secretion the IgM antibody response was predominant, and higher levels were found in the 10¹⁰ group than in the 10¹¹ group. IgG and IgA antibody response were also detected in secretion.