The role of dietary antigen in the aetiology of post weaning diarrhoea.

Experiments were undertaken to investigate whether a hypersensitivity response to dietary antigen might be a predisposing factor in the aetiology of post weaning diarrhoea. The results indicated that: 1. very small amounts of food given to baby pigs before weaning significantly increased the severity and accelerated the onset of the disease; 2. post weaning diarrhoea was dependent upon the presence within the diet of antigenic material; 3. weaning diets containing little antigenic material had less effect upon sucrase levels in the brush borders than did diets rich in antigens. These results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that immune mediated intestinal damage may predispose to post weaning diarrhoea.