Researchers successfully protect foals against pneumonia by inoculating their mums

Researchers were able to protect foals from life-threatening infection by inoculating their mother in the weeks before birth.

Rhodococcus equ is one of the leading causes of disease in foals. and six months, especially if they do not have a lot of resistance. He is behind a lethal form of pneumonia.

By the time the symptoms of panting and coughing appear for the first time, the only action is the costly and long use of antibiotics.

Colette Cywes-Bentley and Joana Rocha a study in which researchers designed and tested an experimental system based solely on antibody-mediated protection against R. Equi .

Immunity was induced by the vaccination of a dozen pregnant mares with a candidate vaccine six and three weeks before the expected delivery. This provoked an antibody response in mares

The vaccine targeted the surface-conserved antigen found on many microbes, called PNAG.

The study team, writing in the journal Open Access PLOS Pathogens confirmed that the antibody had been transferred to foals by colostrum immediately after birth – the Only way for foals to acquire maternal antibodies is because horses lack transfer of antibody via the placenta.

Seven foals born to unvaccinated mares. The foals were exposed to about four weeks to live, virulent R. equi via the lungs in a randomized, controlled, blinded trial.

Eleven of 12 foals born to immunized mares (91%) did not develop clinical lesions . equi pneumonia, while six of seven foals (86%) born from unvaccinated controls developed pneumonia.

It was found that some vaccinated foals developed small subclinical pulmonary lesions, indicating that viral challenge resulted in R. equi absorption. However, they quickly resolved without development of detectable clinical signs of the disease.

In a confirmatory study of passive immunization, an infusion of horse plasma containing antibody protected five foals against R. equi pneumonia, while all four recipients of normal horse plasma developed clinical disease

All infected foals in the study were successfully cured

The study team recognized the development of effective vaccines against pathogens intracellular. ] R. Equi and those who cause diseases such as tuberculosis and brucellosis, proved difficult

The results, they said, supported the development of PNAG as a vaccine against this type of disease. bacterial pathogens.

R. equi in foals led to the implementation of a human trial evaluating the effect of an infusion against tuberculosis.

Discussing their findings, the researchers said: "The success of vaccination in protecting against R. equi challenge in foals targeting the largely synthesized PNAG antigen raises the possibility that this single vaccine could provide protection against many microbial pathogens

"Although the potential for protection against multiple microbial targets is encouraging, the results raise questions as to whether antibodies against the PNAG protect against many microbes or manifest potentially toxic effects or unexpected increases in infection caused by certain organisms.

"Thus, the continuous surveillance and collection of safety data in animals and humans"

The comprehensive study team, composed of several institutions and organizations, included Colette Cywes-Bentley , Joana Rocha, Angela Bordin, Mariana Vinacur, Safia Rehman, Tanweer Zaidi and Mark Meyer, Sarah Anthony, McKenzie Lambert, Daniel Vlock, Steeve Giguere, Noah Cohen and Gerald Pier

[1 9459011] Cywes-Bentley C, Rocha JN, AI Bordin, Vinacur M, Rehman S, Zaidi TS, et al. (2018) Anti-poly-N-acetyl glucosamine antibodies providing protection against intracellular pathogens: mechanism of action and validation in foals horse having received Rhodococcus equi.PLoS Pathog 14 (7): e1007160. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007160

The study , published under Creative Commons License Can be read here . [1] 9659024] Rendering