Differences in susceptibility to Haemophilus parasuis infection in pigs.

In animal breeding programs, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) markers can be used to identify sires that are less susceptible to disease. These DNA markers are typically discovered in populations that display differences in susceptibility. To find those differences, it was hypothesized that sires influence their offspring responses to infection with H.

Recombinant bovine interleukin-12 stimulates a gut immune response but does not provide resistance to Cryptosporidium parvum infection in neonatal calves.

This study was undertaken to determine if administration of recombinant bovine interleukin-12 (rBoIL-12) could stimulate a cellular immune response that protected calves from an oral challenge inoculation with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. In a first experiment, rBoIL-12 intraperitoneally administered as a single dose 1 day before challenge inoculation, did not alter the course of infection. The percentage of immune competent cells and levels of cytokine gene expression in the ileo-cecal mucosa and in the draining lymph nodes of treated calves were similar to those of untreated control calves.

Naturally-farrowed, artificially-reared pigs as an alternative model for experimental infection by Haemophilus parasuis.

The use of naturally-farrowed, artificially-reared piglets as an alternative model to study Haemophilus parasuis infections was evaluated. Two trials were performed in order to evaluate the proposed model. In trial 1, animals were vaccinated and challenged with H.