Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium.
Infect Immun. 2012 Jan;80(1):469-73. doi: 10.1128/IAI.05539-11. Epub 2011 Nov 14.
Edema disease (ED) in piglets is caused by Shiga toxin Stx2e-producing Escherichia coli. We show that a genetically disarmed Stx2e toxoid is a safe antigen that generates antiserum protecting piglets against the Stx2e toxin. Immunization of suckling piglets with the Stx2e toxoid was safe, had no adverse effects on growth of the piglets, and resulted in effective prevention of edema disease clinical symptoms after challenge with the Stx2e toxin. Our data showed that maternal immunity against the Stx2e toxoid can be transmitted from the vaccinated sows to the piglets via the colostrum. Very high levels of Stx2e-specific serum antibodies persisted in these piglets until 1 month postweaning, bridging the critical period in which the weaned piglets are most susceptible to edema infection. Challenge with Stx2e toxin resulted in clinical signs of edema disease and death of all control piglets from nonimmunized sows, whereas none of the piglets from immunized sows developed clinical signs of ED.
仔猪水肿病（ED）由产志贺毒素 Stx2e 的大肠杆菌引起。我们表明，一种遗传失活的 Stx2e 类毒素是一种安全的抗原，可产生抗血清，保护仔猪免受 Stx2e 毒素的侵害。用 Stx2e 类毒素对哺乳仔猪进行免疫接种是安全的，对仔猪的生长没有不良影响，并可有效预防 Stx2e 毒素攻击后的水肿病临床症状。我们的数据表明，针对 Stx2e 类毒素的母体免疫可以通过初乳从接种母猪传递给仔猪。这些仔猪的 Stx2e 特异性血清抗体水平非常高，持续到断奶后 1 个月，这一时期是断奶仔猪最易感染水肿的关键时期。用 Stx2e 毒素攻击导致来自未免疫母猪的所有对照仔猪出现水肿病的临床症状和死亡，而来自免疫母猪的仔猪均未出现 ED 的临床症状。
