Effect of vaccination of sows with Bordetella bronchiseptica on the incidence of atrophic rhinitis in swine.

Vaccination of pregnant sows with Bordetella bronchiseptica was performed in an SPF herd with clinical atrophic rhinitis. Agglutinins against the organism were induced in serum and colostrum by the vaccination. The antibody titres were generally higher in colostrum than in corresponding serum samples. The frequency at slaughter of turbinate atrophy (+, ++, +++) was lower among pigs from vaccinated sows (11%) than in pigs borne by unvaccinated sows (20%). In the control group a lower daily weight gain was observed in pigs with turbinate atrophy than in pigs with normal noses. The mean daily weight gain in pigs with turbinate atrophy borne by vaccinated sows was slightly lower than in pigs without atrophy of conchae, but the difference was not significant. A specific immunological prophylaxis might be an alternative to antibacterial treatment in herds where atrophic rhinitis is aetiologically related to B. bronchiseptica infection.