Prevention of fatal salmonellosis in neonatal calves, using orally administered chicken egg yolk Salmonella-specific antibodies

Am J Vet Res. 1998 Apr;59(4):416-20.

Abstract

Objective: To protect neonatal calves against fatal salmonellosis within the first 2 weeks after birth, using chicken egg yolk antibodies specific against Salmonella typhimurium or S dublin.

Animals: 38 neonatal Holstein calves from Salmonella-free farms.

Procedure: After removal of the lipid components with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate, egg yolk antibodies were spray dried. At 4 days of age, calves were challenge exposed by oral inoculation with 10(11) virulent S typhimurium (experiment 1) or S dublin (experiment 2). Starting from the challenge-exposure day, egg yolk antibody preparations were administered orally 3 times a day for 7 to 10 days.

Results: In passive immunization trials, the orally administered antibodies conferred dose-dependent protection against infection with each of the homologous strains of Salmonella. Within 7 to 10 days after challenge exposure, all control calves died, whereas low-titer antibody-treated calves had 60 to 100% mortality. Only fever and diarrhea, but no deaths (P < 0.01), were observed in calves given the highest titer of antibody.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Compared with that in control calves, survival was significantly higher among calves given antibodies with titers of 500 (P < 0.05) and 1,000 (P < 0.01) homotypic for S typhimurium and with titer of 5,000 (P < 0.01) for S dublin. Egg yolk antibodies specific for whole cell S typhimurium or S dublin are protective against fatal salmonellosis when given in sufficiently high concentration, and may be clinically useful during a salmonellosis outbreak.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / administration & dosage*
  • Cattle
  • Chickens
  • Egg Yolk / immunology*
  • Immunization, Passive / methods
  • Immunization, Passive / veterinary*
  • Salmonella / immunology*
  • Salmonella Infections, Animal / mortality
  • Salmonella Infections, Animal / prevention & control*
  • Salmonella typhimurium* / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial