Prevention of fatal salmonellosis in neonatal calves, using orally administered chicken egg yolk Salmonella-specific antibodies.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To protect neonatal calves against fatal salmonellosis within the first 2 weeks after birth, using chicken egg yolk antibodies specific against Salmonella typhimurium or S dublin.

ANIMALS:

38 neonatal Holstein calves from Salmonella-free farms.

PROCEDURE:

After removal of the lipid components with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate, egg yolk antibodies were spray dried. At 4 days of age, calves were challenge exposed by oral inoculation with 10(11) virulent S typhimurium (experiment 1) or S dublin (experiment 2). Starting from the challenge-exposure day, egg yolk antibody preparations were administered orally 3 times a day for 7 to 10 days.

RESULTS:

In passive immunization trials, the orally administered antibodies conferred dose-dependent protection against infection with each of the homologous strains of Salmonella. Within 7 to 10 days after challenge exposure, all control calves died, whereas low-titer antibody-treated calves had 60 to 100% mortality. Only fever and diarrhea, but no deaths (P < 0.01), were observed in calves given the highest titer of antibody.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:

Compared with that in control calves, survival was significantly higher among calves given antibodies with titers of 500 (P < 0.05) and 1,000 (P < 0.01) homotypic for S typhimurium and with titer of 5,000 (P < 0.01) for S dublin. Egg yolk antibodies specific for whole cell S typhimurium or S dublin are protective against fatal salmonellosis when given in sufficiently high concentration, and may be clinically useful during a salmonellosis outbreak.

• Authors: H Yokoyama, R C Peralta, K Umeda, T Hashi, F C Icatlo Jr, M Kuroki, Y Ikemori, Y Kodama
• Journal: American journal of veterinary research (Am J Vet Res) Vol. 59 Issue 4 Pg. 416-20 (Apr 1998) ISSN: 0002-9645 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9563623 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Animals
• Animals, Newborn
• Antibodies, Bacterial (administration & dosage)
• Cattle
• Chickens
• Egg Yolk (immunology)
• Immunization, Passive (methods, veterinary)
• Salmonella (immunology)
• Salmonella Infections, Animal (mortality, prevention & control)
• Salmonella typhimurium (immunology)