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Objective: The effects of vaccination against gonadotropin releasing factor (GnRF) with Improvac® (Pfizer Animal Health) were compared with surgical castration in fattening pigs. Material and methods: A total of 205 pigs were surgically castrated (group K) and 191 were vaccinated twice (group V) using the boar taint vaccine (Improvac®; 2ml s.c.). The first dose was administered atthe age of 12 weeks when the animals were moved into the fattening unit and the second dose in week 18, 4–6 weeks before the planned slaughter date. Live weights were recorded in weeks 1, 4, 12, 18, and 22. In weeks 18 and 20, length and width of the testicles of 171 animals of group V were measured. After slaughtering cold carcass weight, back fat depth, muscle thickness, percent lean meat, and fat and muscle areas of the carcasses were determined. A piece of the neck muscle from each pig was used to conduct a cooking and melting sensory test. Results: While no significant weight difference was evident in week 22 (K=89.4kg; V=88.6kg), cold carcass weight, and back fat and muscle thickness were lower for vaccinates. Vaccinates had higher average daily weight gains (ADW) after the second injection from week 18 up to the cut-off weighing in week 22 (V=1121g; K=1007g; p<0.001) in contrast to average daily weight gains between weeks 12 and 18 (K=740g; V=668g; p<0.001). After the second injection, testicle size of vaccinated pigs decreased significantly. All animals were negative for boar taint by both cooking and melting tests. Conclusion: Boars vaccinated against boar taint had lower ADW before the second vaccination, but compensated the weight difference after complete vaccination. The significant reduction in the testicle size after the second injection indicates a vaccination success. After vaccination no boar taint was detected in carcasses. Clinical relevance: Vaccination as well as surgical castration reliably prevents the incidence of boar taint. The late rise in daily gain can be beneficial if management is aligned.

ABSTRACTToday, serodiagnostic tests for Mycoplasma suisinfections in pigs have low accuracies. The development of novel serodiagnostic strategies requires a detailed analysis of the humoral immune response elicited by M. suisand, in particular, the identification of antigenic proteins of the agent. For this study, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblot analyses were performed using pre- and sequential postinoculation sera from M. suis-infected and mock-infected control pigs. M. suispurified from porcine blood served as the antigen. Eight M. suis-specific antigens (p33, p40, p45, p57, p61, p70, p73, and p83) were identified as targets of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response during experimental infection, with p40, p45, and p70 being the preferentially recognized M. suisantigens. Besides the M. suis-specific antigens, porcine immunoglobulins were identified in blood-derived M. suispreparations. By immunoglobulin depletion, the specificity of the M. suisantigen for use in indirect ELISA was significantly improved. M. suis-specific Western blot and ELISA reactions were observed in all infected pigs by 14 days postinfection at the latest and until week 14, the end of the experiments. During acute clinical attacks of eperythrozoonosis, a derailment of the antibody response, determined by decreases in both the M. suisnet ELISA values and the numbers of M. suis-specific immunoblot bands, was accompanied by peaking levels of autoreactive IgG antibodies. In conclusion, the M. suis-specific antigens found to stimulate specific IgG antibodies are potentially useful for the development of novel serodiagnostic tests.

Today, serodiagnostic tests for Mycoplasma suis infections in pigs have low accuracies. The development of novel serodiagnostic strategies requires a detailed analysis of the humoral immune response elicited by M. suis and, in particular, the identification of antigenic proteins of the agent. For this study, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblot analyses were performed using pre- and sequential postinoculation sera from M. suis-infected and mock-infected control pigs. M. suis purified from porcine blood served as the antigen. Eight M. suis-specific antigens (p33, p40, p45, p57, p61, p70, p73, and p83) were identified as targets of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response during experimental infection, with p40, p45, and p70 being the preferentially recognized M. suis antigens. Besides the M. suis-specific antigens, porcine immunoglobulins were identified in blood-derived M. suis preparations. By immunoglobulin depletion, the specificity of the M. suis antigen for use in indirect ELISA was significantly improved. M. suis-specific Western blot and ELISA reactions were observed in all infected pigs by 14 days postinfection at the latest and until week 14, the end of the experiments. During acute clinical attacks of eperythrozoonosis, a derailment of the antibody response, determined by decreases in both the M. suis net ELISA values and the numbers of M. suis-specific immunoblot bands, was accompanied by peaking levels of autoreactive IgG antibodies. In conclusion, the M. suis-specific antigens found to stimulate specific IgG antibodies are potentially useful for the development of novel serodiagnostic tests.

Abstract: Objective. Infection of prosthetic material is a major complication of vascular surgery. Therapy for it includes implantation of antimicrobial prostheses bonded with different antimicrobial agents. These agents may, however, induce an acute phase reaction following implantation in the host, thus compromising follow-up of the infection. It is not known whether the antimicrobial agent triclosan induces a significant acute phase reaction when bonded to vascular prostheses. Methods. To study this, 34 adult swine weighing 20–30 kg were allotted randomly to the following groups: (1) controls with untreated prostheses, (2) control group with triclosan-bonded prostheses, (3) therapy group with untreated prostheses, local infection with Staphylococcus aureus, surgical revision, and exchange with new, untreated prostheses, and (4) therapy group with untreated prostheses, local infection with S. aureus, surgical revision, and exchange with triclosan-bonded prostheses. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin values were determined during the 28-day period after surgery. The study was performed at the Institute for Surgical Research of the Ludwig Maximilian University School of Medicine in Munich. Results. Normal ranges of serum CRP and haptoglobin values were 10.7±1.4 μg/ml and 2.5±0.3 mg/ml, respectively. Following implantation of untreated and triclosan-bonded vascular prostheses, significantly elevated serum CRP and haptoglobin values were observed. No significant differences between results with triclosan-bonded and untreated prostheses were observed in control or treatment groups. No correlation was found between acute phase reaction and the absence or presence of infection. Conclusions. Triclosan is the only antimicrobial agent that bonds to vascular prosthetic material without the need of a sealant. Our data indicate that vascular prosthesis implantation, whether untreated and triclosan-bonded, results in a sigificant acute phase reaction. No differences between antimicrobial and untreated prostheses were observed, independently of the absence or presence of infection. The antimicrobial agent itself did not induce a severe acute phase response and may, therefore, be used in patients at risk of infection.