The analysis of the condition of colostral immunity of sows after vaccination against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

О. Y. Aуshpur, I. Y. Mushtuk, L. M. Muzykina, O. A. Tarasov, О. М. Yermolenko, V. V. Gumeniuk, M. M. Derevyanko

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Institute of Veterinary Medicine NAAS,
30 Donetska str., Kyiv, 03151, Ukraine

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is an acute, highly contagious viral disease of pigs of all age groups, but it is manifested by particularly high mortality of newborn piglets and characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of appetite. Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) remains a problem for pig farms in many countries, including Ukraine. Specific prophylaxis PED had proven to be a difficult task and despite many studies, the problem of PED remains unresolved. Since piglets get infected during the first days after birth, their protection can only be provided by colostral antibodies of immuned sows. Therefore, the urgent task of veterinary medicine scientists is to develop effective methods of preventing the disease, which is to use local strains of the pathogen. The article presents the results of studies of colostral immunity of piglets by determining the presence of antibodies against the PED virus in the colostrum of sows who were immunized with a vaccine inactivated against PED from the intestinal virus of artificially infected suckling piglets. Infectious activity of matrix broods of the virus for the production of the preparation was determined by RT-PCR. According to the results of research, material was selected for the manufacture of the vaccine. Subsequently, the drug was monitored according to technological regulations, including the infectious activity of the virus, which ranged from 1.96×10^–8 to 3.16×10^–9. We conducted a comparative study of the presence of antibodies to the PED virus in the colostrum of sows in the treatment of animals by “back-feeding” and vaccination of sows with inactivated preparation. Samples of colostrum from sows were taken within 1–4 hours after farrowing. The article presents research results that allow us to conclude that both methods of treatment of sows create immunity in newborn piglets. Thus, the presence of antibodies to the PED virus in colostrum in the first hours after birth provide protection against infection and death.

Keywords: porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, pigs, colostral immunity, colostrum

1. Carr J, Howells M. Virulent PEDV in Ukraine — what happened on farm. Pig Progress. 2015; 31 (3): 8–11.
2. Chen Q, Li G, Stasko J, Thomas JT, Stensland WR, Pillatzki AE, Gauger PC, Schwartz KJ, Madson D, Yoon KJ, Stevenson GW, Burrough ER, Harmon KM, Main RG, Zhang J. Isolation and characterization of porcine epidemic diarrhea viruses associated with the 2013 disease outbreak among swine in the United States. J. Clin Microbiol. 2014; 52 (1): 234–243. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02820-13.
3. Dee S. Control and eradication of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. Cont. Educ. Pract. Vet. 2000; 22: 27–35.
4. Havrylenko AV, Nedosyekov VV. Epidemic diarrhea of pigs: approaches to prevention and control. Veterinary Medicine of Ukraine. 2015; 8 (234): 7–10. Available at: http://base.dnsgb.com.ua/files/journal/Veterinarna-medicina-Ukrainy/VMU-2015-08/2.pdf (in Ukrainian)
5. Meier WA, Wheeler J, Husmann RJ, Osorio FA, Zuckermann FA. Characteristics of the immune response of pigs to wild-type PRRS virus or to commercially available vaccines: an unconventional response. Am. Assoc. Swine Practition. Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; 2000: 415–418.
6. Nedosekov V. Infectious animal pathology: problems and prospects. Earth Biores. Qual. Life. 2012; 1. Available at: https://gchera-ejournal.nubip.edu.ua/index.php/ebql/article/view/14
7. Orljankin BG. Antiviral immunity and a strategy for the specific prevention of viral diseases of pigs. Materials Intern. Scientific conf.; Federal state institure. Vladimir, ARRIAH: 2008; 129–145. (in Russian)
8. Swine Enteric Coronavirus Disease Testing Summary Report. NAHLNLabs, 2014. Available at: https://www.aasv.org/pedv/SECoV_weekly_report_140604.pdf
9. Wang L, Byrum B, Zhang Y. New variant of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. Infect. Diseases. 2014; 20 (5): 917–919. DOI: 10.3201/eid2005.140195.