Different kinetic of antibody responses following infection of newly weaned pigs with an F4 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain or an F18 verotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain

• Published in: Vaccine 2002-07, Vol.20 (23), p.2995-3004
• Main Authors: Verdonck, F, Cox, E, van Gog, K, Van der Stede, Y, Duchateau, L, Deprez, P, Goddeeris, B.M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - biosynthesis; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Bacterial Adhesion; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - growth & development; Escherichia coli - immunology; Escherichia coli - pathogenicity; Escherichia coli Infections - immunology; Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology; Escherichia coli Proteins - immunology; Fimbriae Proteins - immunology; Immunity, Mucosal; Immunoglobulin A - biosynthesis; In Vitro Techniques; Intestinal Mucosa - immunology; Intestinal Mucosa - microbiology; Kinetics; Mucosal immune response; Pig; Species Specificity; Sus scrofa
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(02)00220-7

To develop a vaccine against Escherichia coli-induced post-weaning diarrhea and edema disease, insights in the induction of the protective immune response following infection with these pathogenic E. coli is needed. Therefore, the fimbriae-specific antibody response of newly weaned pigs following infection with the Shiga-like toxin type II variant (SLT-IIv) producing F18 + verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) (strain 107/86) was compared with the response following an infection with LT producing F4 + enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) (strain GIS 26). F4 + ETEC were able to colonize the gut very soon after infection, as peak excretion of F4 + E. coli bacteria was seen 2 days post-infection (dpi), but had already disappeared 7 dpi. On the other hand, F18 + VTEC infection resulted in a slower colonization of the gut as the peak excretion of F18 + E. coli was observed between 3 and 5 dpi, but this colonization remained longer as F18 + E. coli were detected till 9 dpi in feces. Furthermore, this fast colonization pattern of F4 + ETEC is accompanied with the presence of F4-specific antibodies in mucosal tissues and serum from 4 dpi onward, with maximal amounts of F4-specific IgA in the jejunal lamina propria and serum 7 dpi. In contrast, F18-specific IgA was only readily detected in the jejunal lamina propria 15 dpi and showed a maximum serum titer 21 dpi. Besides this faster induction and higher antibody response, the switch from IgM to IgA and IgG was also earlier following the F4 + ETEC infection.