Passive immunity in transmissible gastroenteritis of swine: immunoglobulin characteristics of antibodies in milk after inoculating virus by different routes.

Pregnant swine were exposed to transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus by different routes, and their serum, colostrum, and mild were examined for titer and immunoglobulin (Ig) class of antibodies. When 2 to 4 days old, the litters of most of these animals were challenged with virulent TGE virus to determine the effectiveness of passive immunity. After two oral/intranasal exposures to attenuated virus, none of the six pregnant animals became sick. TGE antibodies in milk were primarily or solely of the IgG class, although low levels of IgA antibodies were detected in three animals. Pigs in the five challenged litters received some passive immunity, the mortality being 25%. After intramuscular injection of six pregnant swine with virulent virus, two types of clinical and immunological responses were observed, presumably dependent on whether the gut was infected by an hematogenous spread of the virus. Three became sick, showing typical clinical signs of TGE, and their immunological response was characterized by the occurrence in milk of antibodies of the IgA class. A good degree (0% mortality) of passive immunity occurred upon challenge of the suckling pigs. In contrast, in three pregnant animals that did not sicken, antibody in milk was primarily of the IgG calss, and poor (69% mortality) passive immunity occurred. After intramammary injections of three pregnant swine with virulent virus, no sickness was observed and the immunological response was characterized by the occurrence in colostrum of high titers of TGE antibodies that were primarily or solely of the IgG class; good (0% mortality) passive immunity occured. The occurrence in milk of TGE antibodies of the IgA class was associated with an intestinal infection, whereas antibodies of the IgG class resulted from a parenteral antigenic stimulation. The role of antigenic stimulation of the intestinal tract for providing antibodies in milk of the IgA class is discussed. Passive immunity against intestinal infection with TGE virus was generally more complete in pigs ingesting antibodies of the IgA than of the IgG class.