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Piglets.
Credit: Copyright: citronenrot/Vetmeduni Vienna
Parasitologists from the University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna are closer to understanding the disease process behind porcine neonatal coccidiosis. The disease affects piglets during the first days of their life and can cause heavy diarrhea in the animals. The parasite Cystoisospora suis damages the intestinal mucosa to such a degree that it threatens the growth and survival of the pigs. The researchers have now analysed the immune response to the infection. The results were published in the journal Parasite Immunology.
Porcine neonatal coccidiosis is a serious parasitic infection of young piglets that severely damages the intestinal mucosa, leading to diarrhea and reduced nutritional intake. As the infection reduces animal growth, and because secondary infections can result in increased mortality, the disease is responsible for substantial economic losses at affected pig farms.
“The developing immune system of neonatal piglets is not yet mature enough to deal with the parasites. For this reason, an infection shortly after birth results in weakened intestinal tissue with appropriate consequences. By comparison, Cystoisospora suisis absolutely harmless for adult pigs and their mature immune systems,” explains first author Simone Gabner.
Immune cells grow more quickly in the intestines of infected piglets than in healthy ones
Read More:http://www.istadd.com/piglet-health-better-understanding-immune-response-intestinal-parasites/
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