An improved Pythium insidiosum-vaccine formulation with enhanced immunotherapeutic properties in horses and dogs with pythiosis.
Abstract: The immunotherapeutic properties of a new Pythium insidiosum-vaccine formulation (PIV), was evaluated in 18 horses and 6 dogs with proven pythiosis from different enzootic areas in the United States. All injected horses but one responded with a weak (=29 mm, n=3), a mild (30-90 mm, n=7) or a strong (=100 mm, n=7) inflammatory reactions at the site of injection. Three equines with weak or negative reactions at the injection site were not cured. Seven equines with strong reactions at their injection sites, however, were cured. Six of the eight horses with mild reactions were also cured. The remaining two equines responded at first but both relapsed and finally died of their infections. The PIV cured only two of the six dogs used in this study. The new PIV formulation cured 72% of the equines (P=0.048) and 33% of the dogs with pythiosis. Dogs with chronic disease (greater than two months) did not responded to immunotherapy. The finding of eosinophils, mast cells, IgE and precipitin IgG during pythiosis suggested that a T helper 2 (Th2) subset is in place during this disease. In cured horses, the eosinophilic reaction was substituted by lymphocytes and mononuclear macrophages (Th1). This and previous studies strongly support the hypothesis that an immune-modulation from a Th2 to a Th1 subsets may be in part responsible for the PIV's curative properties.
Publication Date: 2003-06-12 PubMed ID: 12798620DOI: 10.1016/s0264-410x(03)00225-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research study revolves around testing a new vaccine formulation against a pathogenic disease called pythiosis on dogs and horses. The disease is caused by an organism called Pythium insidiosum. The vaccine formulation was found to be significantly effective in treating the disease in horses, but less so in dogs.
Study Objective
- The goal of the research was to test and evaluate the immunotherapeutic properties of a new Pythium insidiosum-vaccine formulation (PIV) on 18 horses and 6 dogs with a proven diagnosis of pythiosis from different areas in the United States.
Results Summary in Horses
- All horses except one, upon injection of the new PIV, manifested some degree of inflammatory reactions at the injection site, classified as weak, mild, or strong.
- Those horses with strong reactions were cured, as well as most of those with mild reactions.
- However, horses with weak or no reaction to the injection were not cured. Additionally, two horses that initially responded eventually succumbed to their infections.
Results Summary in Dogs
- Only two out of the six dogs used in this study were cured by the PIV. This indicates the formulation’s lower success rate in dogs compared to horses.
- Dogs suffering from a long-term (greater than two months) pythiosis disease did not respond to the immunotherapy treatment.
Immunological Findings
- The researchers noticed an occurrence of eosinophils, mast cells, IgE, and precipitin IgG in subjects during pythiosis, indicating the presence of a T helper 2 (Th2) subset during this disease.
- In horses that were successfully cured, the eosinophilic reaction was replaced with lymphocytes and mononuclear macrophages (Th1), suggesting that an immune modulation switch from a Th2 to a Th1 subset might be responsible for the vaccine’s curative properties.
Conclusions
- This research supports the hypothesis that an immune modulation from a Th2 to a Th1 response may be partly responsible for the curative properties of the PIV.
- The new PIV formulation showed success with a cure rate of 72% in horses but showed lesser effectiveness in dogs with a cure rate of 33%.
- Lastly, it was inferred that the vaccine might not be effective for long-term, chronic instances of pythiosis, particularly in dogs.
Cite This Article
APA
Mendoza L, Mandy W, Glass R.
(2003).
An improved Pythium insidiosum-vaccine formulation with enhanced immunotherapeutic properties in horses and dogs with pythiosis.
Vaccine, 21(21-22), 2797-2804.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0264-410x(03)00225-1 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Medical Technology Program, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, 322 N. Kedzie Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1031, USA. mendoza9@msu.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Dog Diseases / immunology
- Dog Diseases / microbiology
- Dog Diseases / therapy
- Dogs
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Immunotherapy
- Infections / pathology
- Infections / therapy
- Infections / veterinary
- Pythium / immunology
- Skin Diseases / diagnosis
- Skin Diseases / microbiology
- Skin Diseases / veterinary
- Species Specificity
- Vaccines / immunology
- Vaccines / therapeutic use
Citations
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