Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols

Abstract Background Diseases caused by Streptococcus suis (S. suis) infection have a major impact on return on investment, use of antibiotics and animal welfare in piglet rearing worldwide. S. suis bacterins are commonly used as autogenous vaccines in different countries but experimental studies ind...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Georg Freymüller, Silke Lehnert, Christine Unterweger, Thomas Voglmayr, Christoph G. Baums, Leonie Mayer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Porcine Health Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-025-00453-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849388721145643008
author Georg Freymüller
Silke Lehnert
Christine Unterweger
Thomas Voglmayr
Christoph G. Baums
Leonie Mayer
author_facet Georg Freymüller
Silke Lehnert
Christine Unterweger
Thomas Voglmayr
Christoph G. Baums
Leonie Mayer
author_sort Georg Freymüller
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Diseases caused by Streptococcus suis (S. suis) infection have a major impact on return on investment, use of antibiotics and animal welfare in piglet rearing worldwide. S. suis bacterins are commonly used as autogenous vaccines in different countries but experimental studies indicate limitations of bacterins in protective efficacy. In this study we read out levels of IgG, IgM and IgA binding to a S. suis serotype (cps) 1 outbreak strain and bactericidal immunity after application of a homologous bacterin to sows and gilts. In the first trial we recorded immunogenicities after preparturient sow vaccination. In the second trial we compared an intranasal versus an intramuscular second boost application in gilts, and in the third trial the impact of the second boost application prior farrowing of gilts was specifically investigated. Results Preparturient intramuscular application of a S. suis cps1 (sly +, mrp +, epf +) autogenous bacterin elicited significantly increased levels of serum IgG but not IgM binding to the surface of the homologous strain. Accordingly, specific serum IgG levels were significantly increased in the second and fourth week of life in piglets of these sows. Increased IgG levels were associated with decreased proliferation of S. suis cps1 in blood of 2-week-old piglets reared by vaccinated sows. The increase of IgM binding to cps1 between the fourth and sixth week of life was comparable between piglets farrowed by vaccinated and non-vaccinated sows. Levels of serum IgA binding to S. suis cps1 were not different between piglets fostered by vaccinated and non-vaccinated sows. Between the fourth and sixth week of life we recorded a significant increase in specific serum IgA levels. Intramuscular prime boost vaccination of gilts during quarantine elicited significantly increased specific serum IgG but not IgA levels. Levels of IgG in colostrum binding to S. suis cps1 were significantly increased only in gilts boostered intramuscularly 3 weeks pre farrowing and not in gilts boostered intranasally. Neither intramuscular nor intranasal boostering was associated with increased levels of specific IgA in colostrum. The significant influence of the second intramuscular boost vaccination pre farrowing in gilts on IgG levels in colostrum and in blood of 2-week-old-piglets was confirmed in the last trial. Conclusions Intramuscular prime-boost vaccination of sows and gilts with an autogenous S. suis cps1 bacterin is associated with significantly increased levels of specific IgG in their colostrum and serum of 2- and 4-week-old piglets based on the investigations in one herd that had experienced a severe S. suis cps1 outbreak. After prime-boost vaccination during quarantine gilts should be boostered again pre-farrowing to ensure increased IgG levels in their piglets. A way to elicit increased specific IgA levels in colostrum, milk or serum through intramuscular or intranasal bacterin application was not identified.
format Article
id doaj-art-b3e7399096a642f2b2fdc9a703fd1a33
institution Kabale University
issn 2055-5660
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Porcine Health Management
spelling doaj-art-b3e7399096a642f2b2fdc9a703fd1a332025-08-20T03:42:10ZengBMCPorcine Health Management2055-56602025-07-0111111510.1186/s40813-025-00453-6Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocolsGeorg Freymüller0Silke Lehnert1Christine Unterweger2Thomas Voglmayr3Christoph G. Baums4Leonie Mayer5Institute of Bacteriology and Mycology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig UniversityInstitute of Bacteriology and Mycology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig UniversityClinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Science, Clinical Centre for Population Medicine in Fish, Pig and Poultry, University of Veterinary MedicineTraunkreis Vet ClinicInstitute of Bacteriology and Mycology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig UniversityInstitute of Bacteriology and Mycology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig UniversityAbstract Background Diseases caused by Streptococcus suis (S. suis) infection have a major impact on return on investment, use of antibiotics and animal welfare in piglet rearing worldwide. S. suis bacterins are commonly used as autogenous vaccines in different countries but experimental studies indicate limitations of bacterins in protective efficacy. In this study we read out levels of IgG, IgM and IgA binding to a S. suis serotype (cps) 1 outbreak strain and bactericidal immunity after application of a homologous bacterin to sows and gilts. In the first trial we recorded immunogenicities after preparturient sow vaccination. In the second trial we compared an intranasal versus an intramuscular second boost application in gilts, and in the third trial the impact of the second boost application prior farrowing of gilts was specifically investigated. Results Preparturient intramuscular application of a S. suis cps1 (sly +, mrp +, epf +) autogenous bacterin elicited significantly increased levels of serum IgG but not IgM binding to the surface of the homologous strain. Accordingly, specific serum IgG levels were significantly increased in the second and fourth week of life in piglets of these sows. Increased IgG levels were associated with decreased proliferation of S. suis cps1 in blood of 2-week-old piglets reared by vaccinated sows. The increase of IgM binding to cps1 between the fourth and sixth week of life was comparable between piglets farrowed by vaccinated and non-vaccinated sows. Levels of serum IgA binding to S. suis cps1 were not different between piglets fostered by vaccinated and non-vaccinated sows. Between the fourth and sixth week of life we recorded a significant increase in specific serum IgA levels. Intramuscular prime boost vaccination of gilts during quarantine elicited significantly increased specific serum IgG but not IgA levels. Levels of IgG in colostrum binding to S. suis cps1 were significantly increased only in gilts boostered intramuscularly 3 weeks pre farrowing and not in gilts boostered intranasally. Neither intramuscular nor intranasal boostering was associated with increased levels of specific IgA in colostrum. The significant influence of the second intramuscular boost vaccination pre farrowing in gilts on IgG levels in colostrum and in blood of 2-week-old-piglets was confirmed in the last trial. Conclusions Intramuscular prime-boost vaccination of sows and gilts with an autogenous S. suis cps1 bacterin is associated with significantly increased levels of specific IgG in their colostrum and serum of 2- and 4-week-old piglets based on the investigations in one herd that had experienced a severe S. suis cps1 outbreak. After prime-boost vaccination during quarantine gilts should be boostered again pre-farrowing to ensure increased IgG levels in their piglets. A way to elicit increased specific IgA levels in colostrum, milk or serum through intramuscular or intranasal bacterin application was not identified.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-025-00453-6IgAIgGMaternally-derived antibodiesColostrumIntranasal vaccination
spellingShingle Georg Freymüller
Silke Lehnert
Christine Unterweger
Thomas Voglmayr
Christoph G. Baums
Leonie Mayer
Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
Porcine Health Management
IgA
IgG
Maternally-derived antibodies
Colostrum
Intranasal vaccination
title Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
title_full Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
title_fullStr Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
title_full_unstemmed Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
title_short Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
title_sort autogenous streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
topic IgA
IgG
Maternally-derived antibodies
Colostrum
Intranasal vaccination
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-025-00453-6
work_keys_str_mv AT georgfreymuller autogenousstreptococcussuisserotype1bacterinimmunogenicitiesofsowandgiltvaccinationprotocols
AT silkelehnert autogenousstreptococcussuisserotype1bacterinimmunogenicitiesofsowandgiltvaccinationprotocols
AT christineunterweger autogenousstreptococcussuisserotype1bacterinimmunogenicitiesofsowandgiltvaccinationprotocols
AT thomasvoglmayr autogenousstreptococcussuisserotype1bacterinimmunogenicitiesofsowandgiltvaccinationprotocols
AT christophgbaums autogenousstreptococcussuisserotype1bacterinimmunogenicitiesofsowandgiltvaccinationprotocols
AT leoniemayer autogenousstreptococcussuisserotype1bacterinimmunogenicitiesofsowandgiltvaccinationprotocols