Background: Equine neonates have reduced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared to adult horses after administration of killed vaccines. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that newborn foals can mount strong immune responses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
Methods: Healthy 4-day-old foals (n=7), 4-month-old foals (n=7) and adult horses (n=6) were vaccinated once with live M. bovis BCG. Age-matched animals (n=5 per group) were used as unvaccinated controls. Relative vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations and whole blood mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 were measured prior to and 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after vaccination. Eight weeks after vaccination, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were assessed by measuring the increase in double skin thickness after intradermal injection of purified protein derivative.
Results: Both groups of foals and adult horses responded with a significant increase in vaccine-specific total IgG, IgGa, IgGc, IgG(T), and IgM concentrations. In contrast, only adult horses mounted significant IgGb responses. Vaccine-specific concentrations of total IgG and IgGa were significantly higher in adult horses than in 4-day-old foals whereas IgGc responses were significantly higher in 4-day-old foals than in the other two age groups. Adult horses had significantly higher basal IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA expression than both groups of foals but vaccination with M. bovis BCG did not significantly increase expression of these cytokines, regardless of age group. Immunized horses had significantly higher DTH responses than age-matched unvaccinated controls. DTH responses were significantly greater in both groups of vaccinated foals than in vaccinated adult horses.
Conclusion: Despite a naïve immune system, newborn foals have the ability to mount robust antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to M. bovis BCG.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.01.032 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Supplementation in Adult Horses Supports Improved Skeletal Muscle Inflammatory Gene Expression Following Exercise.
Animals (Basel)
January 2025
School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a sulfur-containing molecule with reported anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Exercise causes the formation of free radicals and stimulates inflammatory gene expression in leukocytes and skeletal muscle. The hypothesis that dietary supplementation with MSM alters the exercise-mediated inflammatory and oxidant response was assessed in unfit adult thoroughbred geldings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEgg reappearance periods associated with anthelmintic treatments given to horses in winter and summer over two years.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports
January 2025
Tāwharau Ora - School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand.
Shortened egg reappearance periods (ERP) have been seen as an early warning of anthelmintic resistance development in cyathostomins in horses. The hypothesis has been that in these instances, efficacy against egg laying adult cyathostomins remains high, but a decline in activity against later larval stages leads to the earlier resumption of egg shedding after treatment. In this study using a single herd of horses we investigated the ERP of a number of commonly used equine anthelmintics and examined whether ERP might show seasonal variation between winter and summer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCartilage defect identification on computed tomography arthrography in equine fetlock: Ex-vivo study.
Res Vet Sci
January 2025
Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital "Mario Modenato", via Livornese snc, San Piero a Grado, Pisa, Italy.
CT arthrography (CTA) for evaluating cartilage defects would be beneficial in clinical practice. Since the contrast medium (CM) volume is often driven by operator experience, the aim was to evaluate the minimum volume of iodinated CM for CTA sufficient to identify iatrogenic cartilage defects in horse fetlock. The study was conducted on ex-vivo 32 distal limbs from adult horses collected at slaughter.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFactors associated with time to return to horse racing following a clavicle fracture in jockeys competing in Great Britain: A review and analysis of medical records.
PLoS One
January 2025
Department of Health Professions, Faculty of Health and Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Purpose: Competitive horse racing is the second largest sport in Great Britain by spectator attendance, employability, and revenue. It is a lucrative yet hazardous sport, with high injury rates, particularly from falls. Clavicular fractures are one of the most common injuries reported, yet their management, especially regarding return to racing, is under-researched.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChanges in microcirculation variables in an acute endotoxaemic equine model.
Equine Vet J
January 2025
Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
Background: Microcirculation is the essential link between macrocirculation and cellular metabolism.
Objectives: To test our hypotheses that microcirculation variables will show a heterogeneous flow pattern during experimental endotoxaemia, and that fluid therapy and noradrenaline (NA) infusion will normalise altered microcirculation variables.
Study Design: In vivo experiments.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!