Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T04:24:11.932Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Acquired immunity to Trichuris suis infection in pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2001

S. PEDERSEN
Affiliation:
Danish Centre for Experimental Parasitology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Ridebanevej 3, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
I. SAEED
Affiliation:
Danish Centre for Experimental Parasitology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Ridebanevej 3, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract

Strong resistance to reinfection developed in pigs as a result of trickle inoculations with Trichuris suis (250 infective eggs twice weekly for 4 weeks). At challenge (4000 eggs) 8 weeks after the last trickle inoculation, we observed a 96% reduction in the mean number of established challenge worms in immunized (TRI/CHA) compared with non-immunized controls (CON/CHA) (74 v. 1753; P = 0·004). Moreover, the total faecal egg excretion was significantly lower in immunized pigs compared with controls (P = 0·0003). The trickle inoculations depressed pig weight gains over the 8-week course of immunization (P = 0·042). It was observed that a small number of pigs developed a weaker level of resistance, reflecting the importance of genetic determinants. The relevance of these data to the population biology of porcine and human whipworm infections is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)