Passive transfer of naturally acquired specific immunity against West Nile Virus to foals in a semi-feral pony herd.
Abstract: Horses naturally exposed to West Nile Virus (WNV) or vaccinated against WNV develop humoral immunity thought to be protective against development of clinical disease in exposed or infected animals. No reports evaluate the efficacy of passive transfer of naturally acquired specific WNV humoral immunity from dam to foal. The purpose of this study was to investigate passive transfer of naturally acquired immunity to WNV to foals born in a herd of semi-feral ponies, not vaccinated against WNV, in an endemic area, with many dams having seroconverted because of natural exposure. Microwell serum neutralization titers against WNV were determined in all mares and foals. Serum IgG concentration was determined in foals by serial radial immunodiffusion. Differences in IgG concentration between seropositive and seronegative foals were examined by means of the Mann-Whitney U-test. Linear regression was used to evaluate the association between mare and foal titers. Seventeen mare-foal pairs were studied; 1 foal had inadequate IgG concentration. IgG concentration was not different between seronegative and seropositive foals (P = .24). Mare and foal titers were significantly correlated in foals with adequate passive transfer of immunity (Spearman's rho = .84; P 90% of the foal's titer was explained by the mare's titer (R2 = 0.91; P < .001). Passive transfer of specific immunity to WNV is present in pony foals with adequate passive transfer of immunity born to seroconverted mares.
Publication Date: 2006-09-08 PubMed ID: 16955839DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2006)20[1045:ptonas]2.0.co;2Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research aimed to explore if mares that have naturally acquired immunity to West Nile Virus (WNV) can pass this immunity to their foals. The results revealed that the immunity is indeed transferred from mare to foal, provided the foal received an adequate passive transfer of immunity.
Research Methodology
- The researchers studied a herd of semi-feral ponies located in an area with high WNV prevalence. Numerous mares in the herd had already been naturally exposed to the virus and developed immunity, making them ideal subjects for this study. None of the ponies in the herd were vaccinated against WNV.
- The research assessed the immunity transfer by determining serum neutralization titers against WNV in mares and their foals. It helped determine the resistance level to the virus.
- Also, the researchers measured the serum concentration of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) in foals. IgG is one type of antibody that represents humoral immunity. The radial immunodiffusion method was used to accurately measure IgG concentration.
Results and Findings
- In their study of 17 mare-foal pairs, only one foal had an inadequate IgG concentration, which suggests a strong passive transfer of immunity.
- There was no significant difference in IgG concentration between foals that carried the virus’s specific antibodies (seropositive) and foals that did not have these antibodies (seronegative).
- Furthermore, the researchers found a strong correlation between mare and foal titers in foals that received an adequate passive transfer of immunity. The mare’s titer explained over 90% of the foal’s titer, meaning that the mare’s immunity status significantly influenced the foal’s level of resistance to WNV.
Conclusion
- The results of this research establish that passive transfer of specific immunity to WNV occurs in foals born to mares that have seroconverted (developed specific antibodies against the virus after exposure).
- This finding has crucial implications for understanding the transmission of immunity to diseases in semi-feral horse populations, which can inform strategies to manage and control virus spread among these groups.
Cite This Article
APA
Wilkins PA, Glaser AL, McDonnell SM.
(2006).
Passive transfer of naturally acquired specific immunity against West Nile Virus to foals in a semi-feral pony herd.
J Vet Intern Med, 20(4), 1045-1047.
https://doi.org/10.1892/0891-6640(2006)20[1045:ptonas]2.0.co;2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Studies-New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA. pwilkins@vet.upenn.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / immunology
- West Nile Fever / immunology
- West Nile Fever / veterinary
- West Nile virus / immunology
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Rule EK, Boyle AG, Stefanovski D, Anis E, Linton J, Lorello O. Transfer of naturally acquired specific passive immunity against Anaplasma phagocytophilum in foals in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Sep-Oct;37(5):1889-1892.
- Desanti-Consoli H, Bouillon J, Chapuis RJJ. Equids' Core Vaccines Guidelines in North America: Considerations and Prospective. Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Mar 4;10(3).
- Young JJ, Coulombier D, Domanović D, Zeller H, Gossner CM. One Health approach for West Nile virus surveillance in the European Union: relevance of equine data for blood safety. Euro Surveill 2019 Apr;24(16).
- Ahlers LRH, Goodman AG. The Immune Responses of the Animal Hosts of West Nile Virus: A Comparison of Insects, Birds, and Mammals. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018;8:96.
- Hedegaard CJ, Heegaard PM. Passive immunisation, an old idea revisited: Basic principles and application to modern animal production systems. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2016 Jun;174:50-63.
- Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, Prow NA, Wang W, Tan CS, Coyle M, Douma A, Hobson-Peters J, Kidd L, Hall RA, Petrovsky N. Safety and immunogenicity of a delta inulin-adjuvanted inactivated Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine in pregnant mares and foals. Vet Res 2014 Dec 17;45(1):130.
- Franson JC, Hofmeister EK, Collins GH, Dusek RJ. Seroprevalence of West Nile virus in feral horses on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, United States. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011 Apr;84(4):637-40.
- Naveed A, Eertink LG, Wang D, Li F. Lessons Learned from West Nile Virus Infection:Vaccinations in Equines and Their Implications for One Health Approaches. Viruses 2024 May 14;16(5).
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