Protection against naturally acquired Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals by administration of hyperimmune plasma.
Abstract: A 2-year field study was performed to determine the capability of increasing Rhodococcus equi specific antibody in foals via plasma transfusion or mare vaccination, to determine the kinetics of R. equi (ELISA) antibody decay and to assess the protective effects of these procedures in foals on a farm endemic for R. equi. Plasma donors were vaccinated with a killed R. equi bacterin and produced high levels of anti-R. equi antibodies, which were harvested by plasmapheresis. In Experiment 1, 68 foals were given 1 litre of hyperimmune plasma intravenously (i.v.) between 1-60 days of age. Foal plasma R. equi antibody was significantly increased and high levels of R. equi antibody (ELISA) were maintained for 60 days. No R. equi pneumonia developed in any foals receiving plasma. In Experiment 2, 99 pregnant mares were vaccinated with R. equi bacterin at 30, 60 and 90 days before foaling. Group 1 foals (101:85 from R. equi immunized mares) also received plasma transfusions and Group 2 foals (14), from R. equi immunized mares, did not receive plasma transfusions. Pregnant mare immunization increased colostrum R. equi antibody significantly. Eight foals showed failure of transfer of specific R. equi antibody. The incidence of R. equi pneumonia was 2.9% in Group 1 foals and 43% in Group 2 foals. Vaccination of pregnant mares did not provide protection against R. equi pneumonia; however, plasma transfusion with hyperimmune plasma administered prior to R. equi exposure was significantly protective in foals.
Publication Date: 1991-01-01 PubMed ID: 1795301
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research study assesses the protection offered against Rhodococcus equi bacterium in foals through plasma transfusion or mare vaccination. The results indicate that plasma transfusions were significantly effective in protecting foals against R. equi pneumonia, while mare vaccination was not.
Study Design and Methods
- The researchers conducted a study over two years to understand the ability to elevate foals’ R. equi specific antibody through plasma transfusion or mare vaccination on a farm where R. equi was endemic.
- The researchers treated plasma donors with a killed R. equi bacterin, which generated high levels of anti-R. equi antibodies. They then harvested these antibodies through a process called plasmapheresis.
Experiment 1: Plasma Transfusion in Foals
- In the first experiment, the researchers administered 1 litre of hyperimmune plasma to each of the 68 foals aged between 1 to 60 days.
- The foals experienced a significant increase in their R. equi antibody levels, which remained high for 60 days.
- None of the foals that received plasma developed R. equi pneumonia. This suggested that the transfusion of hyperimmune plasma effectively protected the foals against the pneumonia caused by R. equi.
Experiment 2: Pregnant Mare Vaccination
- In the second experiment, the researchers vaccinated 99 pregnant mares with R. equi bacterin three times before they gave birth—30, 60, and 90 days prior.
- The foals from Group 1 (101 foals) received both immunised mare colostrum and plasma transfusions. In contrast, the foals of Group 2 (14 foals) only received immunised mare colostrum.
- Results showed the pregnant mare immunization significantly increased the level of R. equi antibodies in colostrum. However, there were eight foals that did not successfully receive the specific R. equi antibody.
- The incidence of R. equi pneumonia was only 2.9% in Group 1 but surged to 43% in Group 2.
- This indicated that, unlike plasma transfusion procedure, vaccination of pregnant mares was not effective in protecting foals against R. equi pneumonia.
Conclusion
- Overall, the fluid transfusion process of injecting hyperimmune plasma — prior to R. equi exposure — was found to be significantly protective against R. equi pneumonia for the foals.
- On the other hand, the strategy of vaccinating pregnant mares to bolster the colostrum’s R. equi antibody did not similarly protect against R. equi pneumonia.
Cite This Article
APA
Madigan JE, Hietala S, Muller N.
(1991).
Protection against naturally acquired Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals by administration of hyperimmune plasma.
J Reprod Fertil Suppl, 44, 571-578.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
MeSH Terms
- Actinomycetales Infections / immunology
- Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Female
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses / immunology
- Maternal-Fetal Exchange
- Pneumonia / immunology
- Pneumonia / veterinary
- Pregnancy
- Rhodococcus equi / immunology
- Vaccines, Inactivated / administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Inactivated / immunology
Citations
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