Immune Responses to the Attenuated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae 168 Strain Vaccine by Intrapulmonic Immunization in Piglets

To investigate the immune responses to the attenuated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae 168 strain vaccine, 8-15 d old piglets were immunized with M. hyopneurnoniae 168 strain vaccine by intrapulmonic route. And the specific IgG antibody in serum, lymphoproliferation, IFNT, and specific secretory IgA （SIgA） antibody in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were detected on 30 and 60 d post-immunization （DPI）, respectively. On 60 DPI, all the pigs except for those in health control group were challenged with a field M. hyopneumoniae strain JS. Necropsy was performed on 30 d post-challenge （DPC）. The results showed that IFN7 and specific SIgA were stimulated on surface of respiratory tract after immunization. And peripheral blood mononuclear cells could also be proliferated about 1.81 and 2.12 fold on 30 and 60 DPI when stimulated by M. hyopneumoniae protein in vitro. However, no serum IgG antibody against M. hyopneumoniae was detected during the whole immune phage. After challenge, vaccinated pigs were observed with only very slight histological lesion in individual lobes. None of vaccinated pigs showed any clinical signs. While the unvaccinated pigs from challenge control group showed varying degrees of clinical sign and severe macroscopical lesion of mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine （MPS）. The result suggested that the attenuated M. hyopneumoniae 168 strain vaccine inoculated by intrapulmonic route could activate the systemic cellular immunity, the local mucosal immunity and IFNγ secretion in respiratory tract to against M. hyopneumoniae infection in piglets.

The Prevalence of Mycoplasma Hyopneumoniae in Commercial Suckling Pigs in Thailand

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of M. hyopneumoniae infection in suckling pigs. Nasal swabs were collected from 300 suckling pigs originating from five farrow-to-finishing farms. One farm had a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) and four other farms previously had a PRDC problem (farms B, C, D and E). Thirty (30) lactating sows in parity 1, 2 and 3 were selected from each farm (Ten sows per parity). Two piglets from each sow were randomly sampled for nasal swab at 3 weeks of age. The samples were analyzed by the nested PCR technique. Forty five per cent (27/60) of nasal swabs from farm A were found positive. On the other hand, a total of 2.08 per cent were found positive (5/240) from farm B, C, D and E. The tendency of piglet infection per sow by parity showed that first parity had more prevalence than the second and the third parity (60%, 55%, 20%), respectively. We have found a correction between M. hyopneumoniae early infection in suckling pigs and a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) as oppose to farms that did not have a PRDC problem. The strategies to prevent M. hyopneumoniae early infection are to maintain good lactation, antibiotic prevention program and early M. hyopneumoniae

Presence of <i>Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus suis, Pasteurella multocida, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Haemophilus parasuis and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae</i>in upper respiratory tract of swine in farms from Aguascalientes, Mexico

Respiratory diseases are one of the most important health problems in pig herds. The porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) is the term used to describe pneumonic diseases caused by multiple infectious agents that provoke weight loss in animals or death. In the PRDC multiple pathogens (bacteria and/or viruses) work in combination to induce this respiratory disease. Within this complex, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus suis, Pasteurella multocida, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Haemophilus parasuis and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae are the main bacterial pathogens involved in great economic losses to the swine industry. The aim of this work was to estimate the presence of A. pleuropneumoniae, S. suis, P. multocida, B. bronchiseptica, H. parasuis and M. hyopneumoniae in the upper respiratory tract of pigs in representative swine farms inAguascalientes,Mexico, using PCR technique. The study was performed in 14 swine farms. We obtained a total of 212 nasal swabs. Near 20% of samples were positive for A. pleuropneumoniae (located in the 79% of farms);17% were positive for S. suis (in 86% of farms), of these, 3% were S. suis serovar 2;30% were positive for H. parasuis (93% of farms);23% of the samples to P. multocida (in 79% of farms);and 19% to M. hyopneumoniae (in 64% of farms). B. bronchiseptica was not detected in this study. The results obtained show that bacterial pathogens of PRDC were present in the upper respiratory tract of pigs in all farms studied;therefore, these pathogens are widely disseminated in pig farms of Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Standardization of a Real-time PCR System for Quantitative Detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

This study was conducted to develop a method for accurate quantification of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae during vaccine production or experimental research. Primer and probe concentration that gave the highest ΔRn and the lowest Ct were selected to establish the real-time PCR system for the detection of M. hyopneumoniae. Template DNA of M. hyopneumoniae was extracted by boiling under different conditions and detected by real-time PCR to determine the optimal conditions for DNA extraction. Thereafter, intra-and inter-batch reproducibility tests were carried out using a standard plasmid to evaluate the stability of the PCR system. Subsequently, the effect of medium composition on the quantitative detection was evaluated. Finally, the correlation between real-time PCR and CCU method was explored. The optimal primer and probe concentration for real-time PCR were 0.4 and 0.2 μmol/L, respectively. The intra-and inter-batch coefficients of variation(CV) in Ct value of 10~4-10~9 copies/μl standard plasmid were <5%, indicating good reproducibility of the real-time PCR system. Following incubation in a boiling water bath for 10 min, M. hyopneumoniae samples can be used directly as a template in subsequent real-time PCR assays,and good intra-batch and inter-batch reproducibility was observed. The working concentration of KM2 medium should be less than the 1/10 of the concentration of the stock solution to minimize its influence on the quantitative detection. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that the log of CCU and the log of DNA copy number had a significant positive relationship(r=0.797,P=0.000). Thus, the two methods can be used in combination in the quantitative detection of M. hyopneumoniae. In summary, a rapid, stable and accurate quantitative PCR system for detecting M. hyopneumoniae culture was established in this study, which provides a technical means for accurate quantification of M. hyopneumoniae in vaccine production and laboratory tests.

Current Status of <i>M. hyopneumoniae</i>in Pigs in Grenada, West Indies

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, cause of enzootic pneumonia is known for serious economic losses in pigs. The disease is prevalent all over the world. There is no published report on Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae incidence in Grenadian pigs. The aim of this study was to estimate seroprevalence of antibodies for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in non vaccinated pigs in Grenada. Sera were collected randomly from 459 pigs of all ages from all six parishes of Grenada. Sera were tested for antibodies to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae using an indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) kit. Antibodies to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae were found in 8.71% (95% CI: 0.0644 to 0.1167) pigs. The greatest percent of positives (62.5%) (95% CI: 0.4699 to 0.7582) were in youngest group 22.5% (95% CI: 0.1211 to 0.3771) in >2 year. Positive females were overrepresented compared to males by 3:1. This is the first report on the sero-prevalence of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in pigs from Grenada, West Indies.

Establishment of a model of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection using Bama miniature pigs

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae(M.hyopneumoniae),is the primary aetiological agent of enzootic pneumonia leading to chronic respiratory disease prevalent worldwide.Conventional pigs are the only animals used for pathogenicity studies and vaccine evaluations of M.hyopneumoniae.Considering that the challenge animals have better genetic stability and a smaller body size to operate with,an alternative experimental animal model of M.hyopneumoniae infection with Bama miniature pigs was established.Nine seven-week-old snatch-farrowed,porcine colostrum-deprived(SF-pCD)Bama miniature pigs and nine conventional pigs were randomly divided into two infected groups(Bama miniatureinfected(BI)and conventional-infected groups(CI),BI and CI,n=6)and two control groups(Bama miniature control(BC)and conventional control(CC)groups,BC and CC,n=3).Every piglet was tracheally inoculated with 5×10^(8) CCU/mL containing 10%suspension of a stock of frozen lung homogenate from SF-pCD pigs infected with virulent strain JS or sterilized KM2 medium.Typical lung lesions appeared in all infected pigs after necropsy,and the mean gross lung lesions was 17.3 and 13.7 in groups of BI and CI.Serum IgG and nasal sIgA antibody titres were increased significantly.Cilia shedding and mucus staining increased greatly in JS-infected bronchi.Obvious reddish gross lesions and M.hyopneumoniae antigen were detected,especially apparently observed in group of BI.Moreover,DNA copies of M.hyopneumoniae from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)of each JS-infected piglet reached more than 10^(8),and M.hyopneumoniae could be re-isolated from each infected BALF.These results indicate that Bama miniature pigs could be used as an alternative and more maneuverable experimental infection model for M.hyopneumoniae and display typical clinical and pathological features consistent with those in conventional pigs.

Preventive Effects of Five Drugs on Mycoplasma Pneumonia of Swine (MPS)

The paper was to explore the preventive effects of five drugs on mycoplasma pneumonia of swine （MPS） and to provide reference for clinical medication of pig farms in Hainan Province. A total of 444 health piglets were randomly divided into 6 groups, including five medication groups （72 piglets in group A, 74 pig- lets in group B, 72 piglets in group C, 76 piglets in group D, 76 piglets in group E） and one control group （74 piglets）. The piglets in experimental groups were treated drugs once a day for successive 5 days at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 of age. The piglets in control group were free of medication. At 70 and 140 days of age, 15 piglets of each group were randomly selected to collect their blood sermn. The Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae （M-Hyo） antibodies in serum were measured by en- zyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. During the experiment, the incidence rates of respiratory disease, lung lesion, feed conversion rate, average daily gain （ADG）, and mortality rate of pigs were also observed and recorded. The results showed that the five drugs had significant difference in preventative effects. Group C （Zhiyuanjing group） received the best preventive effect and the highest economic benefits. Compared with control group, the ADG and feed conversion rate in group C were increased by 7.53% and 9.09%, respectively; the incidence rate of respiratory disease was reduced by 13.44% and lung lesion was alleviated by 81.43% ; and the earnings of each pig could rise by 132.70 yuan. The preventative effect and economic benefit of the drugs was sequenced by Chansu Kechuanling and Bingchan Kechuanwang. Wante Feilin and amoxicillin had weaker preventive effects against MPS but greatly influenced growth performance of pigs, so they should be used alternatively with other drugs.